Vernet

Vernet is a French name that functions both as a toponym and as a surname. As a place-name element, Vernet appears in several French localities; the best-known example is Vernet-les-Bains, a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales in southern France. Vernet-les-Bains is noted for its thermal springs and its mountainous setting in the foothills of the Pyrenees.

As a surname, Vernet is found among French families and has spread to other Francophone communities. Notable individuals with the name include Horace Vernet (1789–1863), a French painter best known for battle scenes and Orientalist subjects. The surname can also be encountered in historical documents, genealogies, and regional archives.

Etymologically, the origin of Vernet is not always clear. In many cases it is treated as a toponymic name derived from a geographic feature or a historic place-name element that recurs in southern and central France. Variants and related forms occur in different regions and during different historical periods.

In sum, Vernet functions as both a proper surname and a place-name in France, with Vernet-les-Bains standing as the most prominent contemporary locality bearing the name and Horace Vernet representing a widely cited bearer of the surname.