Dubois (/dʊˈbwɑː/ duu-BWAH; also spelled DuBois or Du Bois) is a French surname meaning "from the woods" or "of the forest," derived from the Old French bois ("forest"), itself from Late Latin boscus. It is a topographic surname, originally given to someone who lived or worked in a wooded area, or a habitational name for someone from any of several places in France and Belgium (Wallonia) named Le Bois.
Origin and Etymology: The name combines the French fused preposition and definite article du ("from the") with bois ("wood, forest"). It emerged as a surname during the medieval period when surnames often denoted a person's occupation or geographical origin.
Distribution: Dubois is a common surname in France, Belgium (Wallonia), and among French Huguenot descendants in English-speaking countries. It is also found in Canada (particularly Quebec), the United States, and other regions with French diaspora communities.
Notable individuals with the surname include:
- W. E. B. Du Bois (1868–1963) — American sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, and author; co-founder of the NAACP.
- Guillaume Dubois (1656–1723) — French cardinal and statesman, chief minister to the Regent Philippe d'Orléans.
- Eugène Dubois (1858–1940) — Dutch anthropologist who discovered the first early human fossil in Java (Homo erectus).
- Théodore Dubois (1837–1924) — French organist, composer, and musical administrator.
- Marie Dubois (1937–2014) — French actress.
- Daniel Dubois (born 1997) — British professional boxer.
- Pierre-Luc Dubois (born 1998) — Canadian professional ice hockey player.
- Léo Dubois (born 1994) — French professional footballer.
- Allison DuBois (born 1972) — American research medium and inspiration for the television series Medium.
- Blanche DuBois — Fictional character, the female lead in Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire.
- Harrier "Harry" Du Bois — Fictional protagonist of the video game Disco Elysium.
Variants: Common variant spellings include DuBois and Du Bois. Related surnames include Dubos and DuBose.
