de Fay is a French surname. The name is of topographic origin, derived from the Old French word fay or faye, meaning "beech tree" or "grove of beech trees." It is associated with the Auvergne region of south-central France, where the surname first appeared.
Notable people with the surname include:
- Charles César de Fay de La Tour-Maubourg (1757–1831), French soldier
- Juste-Charles de Fay de La Tour-Maubourg (1774–1824), French marquess
- Marie Victor de Fay, marquis de Latour-Maubourg (1768–1850), French cavalry commander
The name has numerous spelling variations, including Fay, Faye, Fait, Fais, Faie, Fée, De Fay, De Faye, and others, which arose from phonetic recording practices in early French record-keeping.
In France, de Fay is estimated to be the 5,169th most common surname, with approximately 1,000–1,500 bearers. The name was carried to North America by French settlers, with records of individuals bearing the name arriving in New York, Philadelphia, and other locations during the 19th century.
