Philidor or Danican Philidor was a family of musicians that served as court musicians to the French kings. The original name of the family was Danican (D'Anican) and was of Scottish origin (Duncan). Philidor was a later addition to the family name, given first to Michel the elder by Louis XIII because his oboe playing reminded the king of an Italian virtuoso oboist named Filidori. Both Michel the younger and Jean played in the Grande Écurie (literally, the Great Stable; figuratively, the Military Band) in Paris. Later members of the family were known as composers as well.

• Michel Danican Philidor the elder (1580–1651)
• Michel Danican Philidor the younger (c. 1610–1659)
• Jean Danican Philidor
  Jean Danican Philidor
  Jean Danican Philidor was a court musician at Versailles during the reign of Louis XIII, and a member of the prestigious Philidor family...
  
   (c. 1620–1679), the first whose name appears as Danican dit Philidor, father of the next generation
• André Danican Philidor (l'ainé) (c. 1652–1730), son of Jean
• Jacques Danican Philidor (le cadet) (1657–1708), son of Jean
• Pierre Danican Philidor (1681–1731), son of Jacques
• François Danican Philidor (? - ?), son of André I the Elder and halfbrother of Anne.
• Anne Danican Philidor
  Anne Danican Philidor
  Anne Danican Philidor is best remembered today for having founded the Concert Spirituel, an important series of public concerts held in the palace of the Tuileries from 1725 to 1791....
  
   (1681–1728), son of André
• Michel Danican Philidor III (1683–1723), son of André
• François-André Danican Philidor
  François-André Danican Philidor
  François-André Danican Philidor , often referred to as André Danican Philidor during his lifetime, was a French composer and chess player. He contributed to the early development of the opéra comique...
  
   (1726–1795), opera composer, chess master, and namesake of two chess terms:
  • the Philidor defense, an opening
  • the Philidor position
    Philidor position
    The Philidor position usually refers to an important chess endgame which illustrates a drawing technique when the defender has a king and rook versus a king, rook, and a pawn. It is also known as the third rank defense, because of the importance of the rook on the third rank cutting off the...
    
    , an endgame position

Reference

• Rebecca Harris-Warrick and Julian Rushton. "Philidor." In Grove Music Online.