Francis Floud was born on 18 May 1875, eldest son of the Reverend H Castle Floud. He was educated at Cranleigh School and King's College, London, and in 1909 married Phyllis, daughter of Colonel Everard A. Ford, of Hampstead. They had one son and one daughter (and one son who died).

Floud initially trained in law, becoming a barrister at Lincoln's Inn, but in 1894 changed to the Civil Service, and entered the Board of Agriculture. He served as Private Secretary to Sir Thomas Elliott (1904-1905), and to Ailwyn Fellowes [later 1st Lord Ailwyn] (1905), and Lord Carrington [earlier Charles Wynn-Carrington, later 1st Lord Lincolnshire] (1906-1907), as Presidents of the Board of Agriculture. In 1907 he became Head of the Land Branch at the Board, remaining in this post until 1914, when he became first Assistant Secretary until 1919, then finally Permanent Secretary, at the new Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, from 1920 to 1927.

In 1927, Floud left the Ministry of Agriculture to become Chairman of the Board of Customs and Excise, then served as Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Labour from 1930 to 1934. He then changed direction again to become High Commissioner in Canada, from 1934 to 1938. On his return from Canada, Floud served as Chairman to several bodies, including: the Bengal Land Revenue Commission (1938-40); the Appeal Tribunal for Conscientious Objectors, (1940-46); the Road Haulage Central Wages Board, (1941-47); the Agricultural Wages Board (1943-47); the London County Council Staff Arbitration Tribunal, while he was also a member of the National Arbitration Tribunal, (1941-51).

Floud published a history of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in 1927 and his honours include: C.B. (1918); K.C.B. (1921); K.C.M.G. (1938); K.C.S.I. (1941). He died on 17 April 1965.