Crapaud is a French word meaning "toad".
Etymology The word ultimately is rooted from Frankish *krappō, *krappa, meaning "hook", likely in reference to the toad's hooked feet.
Heraldry Crapaud is sometimes used as an incorrect reference to the Fleur-de-lys on the ancient heraldic flag of the kings of France. The three fleurs-de-lys were sometimes misinterpreted as "three toads erect, saltant", instead of "three lily flowers".
In fiction The word crapaud is used extensively by fictional British soldier Richard Sharpe as a derogatory term for the French in Bernard Cornwell's novels set during the Napoleonic Wars.Ellen J. Millington. Heraldry in history, poetry, and romance. Chapman and Hall; 1858 [cited 27 September 2012]. p. 8–.
Jean Crapaud Jean Crapaud, also Johnny Crappeau or Johnny Crappo, as defined by Webster's Online Dictionary, "is a jocose name given to a Frenchman. It is intended as a national personification of the French people as a whole in much the same sense as John Bull is to the English. It is sometimes used as a literary device to refer to a typical Frenchman, usually in the form of Monsieur Jean Crapaud." Webster's Online Dictionary. Retrieved 26 September 2012. The usage of the word "crapaud" in this case is similar to the derogative use of the word "frog", referencing the supposed French affinity for frog legs as a delicacy.
Jersey Crapaud
The name Crapaud is used in the Channel Islands to describe a person from Jersey, the name meaning "toad" in the local Patois languages, including Jèrriais and Guernésiais. Spiny toads live in Jersey but not on the other islands.
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References
Further reading James Edwards (Professor.). John Bull, Uncle Sam and Johnny Crapaud. Henry G. Little; 1888. James Edwards. John Bull, Uncle Sam and Johnny Crapaud. BiblioBazaar; February 2010. . Mary Alice Fontenot. Clovis Crawfish and the Curious Crapaud. Pelican Publishing; 1 November 1986. .