The following page contains an incomplete list (A-Z) of marquisates (French marquisat) that currently, or once did, exist within France or within its conquered provinces. They were created by the kings of France and Spain, the dukes of Savoie and Lorraine, the popes in Comtat Venaissin, and other sovereign lords in the present-day Republic of France.
From the late Middle Ages until the French revolution, marquisates were mainly raised by Letters patent (in French ). In a few cases, other official acts, such as brevet royal, were used to create marquisates. These marquisates were given to members of princely houses or to distinguished nobles as rewards.
Currently, there does not exist a complete list of marquisates (or other marquess titles, which are not covered in this list), in part, because their creations were numerous, especially during the reigns of Louis XIV and XV.
This list also contains "marquisates of usage", which, in reality, might only be hereditary courtesy titles, or might be true, raised marquisates. Due to the loss of proven records because of fires and wars, and during the French revolution, when estate archives were deliberately destroyed, it is difficult, if not impossible, to prove whether certain marquisates were ever raised to a formal marquisate.
Recent archive findings has shown that some titles previously believed to be only courtesy titles are, in fact, raised marquisates. Thus, the following list contains proven-raised marquisates, uncertain marquisates, proven-hereditary courtesy titles (or at least generally believed to be proven at this time), and feudal marquisates or margravates. (Marquisates are the modern replacement of margravates. Margravates created after 1500 are marquisates.)