Dumas

Dumas is a French surname. It is borne by historical and contemporary figures in literature, military, and arts, and by places named after families bearing the name.

The most famous bearers are two generations of writers: Alexandre Dumas, père (1802–1870), and his son, Alexandre Dumas, fils (1824–1895). The Dumas family is also connected to the French general Thomas-Alexandre Dumas (1762–1806), the father of Alexandre Dumas, père.

Alexandre Dumas, père was a prolific novelist and playwright whose works popularized historical adventure fiction in the 19th century. He wrote The Three Musketeers (1844) and The Count of Monte Cristo (1844–1845), often published in serial installments with collaborator Auguste Maquet. His narratives drew on historical settings, swashbuckling action, and political intrigue, and they have influenced countless adaptations.

Alexandre Dumas, fils was a writer and dramatist who produced plays and novels in the second half of the 19th century. He is best known for La Dame aux Camélias (The Lady of the Camellias, 1848), a romantic tragedy that inspired Giuseppe Verdi's opera La Traviata, and for The Corsican Brothers. His works contributed to the era's melodramatic style and social themes.

In modern usage, Dumas remains a common French surname. It is carried by many individuals in various professions and has appeared in place names and media adaptations inspired by the Dumas literary legacy.