Andrieu

Andrieu is a surname of French origin, primarily found in France and among Francophone communities. It is commonly treated as a patronymic form derived from the given name André (the French equivalent of Andrew), and it has appeared in records since the medieval period as a way to identify the son or descendant of a man named André.

Etymology and forms: Andrieu stems from the given name André, itself derived from the Latin Andreas and the Greek andreios, meaning “manly” or “courageous.” In Occitan and other southern French dialects, the suffix -ieu was a productive way to form family names from personal names, yielding variants such as Andieu, Andriou, and, in some regions, Andreu. Over time, spelling and pronunciation shifts produced the contemporary form Andrieu.

Distribution and history: The surname is most common in France, with historical concentrations in southern and central regions where Occitan and related dialects were spoken. Through internal migration and international emigration, Andrieu spread to other Francophone areas, including Belgium and parts of Canada (notably Quebec and Acadia) and the United States, especially communities with French heritage.

Notable bearers and usage: Andrieu appears in genealogical and onomastic sources as an example of a southern French patronymic surname formed from a common given name. It is one of several regional variants of the André naming cluster that reflect historical linguistic diversity within France.