The french bulldog is the third most popular dog in Australia 
Are they a large breed or a small breed?
They are a smaller breed. To Reduce their size, they were crossed with terriers while some were crossed pugs
Were they bred for a certain reason?
They were used for blood sports but they were outlawed in 1835 which left them unemployed. Since then they have been breed from a sporting breed to a companion breed. 
Is a French Bulldog registered with the AKC? I was thinking about possibly getting one, but want something recognized by the AKC?
Yes, they are the 6th most popular breed of AKC registered dogs