PARIS — The eurozone economy perked up again this month, a private sector report showed on Friday, powered by continuing strength in Germany and surprisingly strong growth in France.

Purchasing managers across the eurozone, the 19-nation currency union, reported increased backlogs of work and an improvement in demand, leading companies to add workers at the fastest pace since August 2011, according to a survey by Markit Economics, a data analysis firm in London.

Markit’s composite output index for the eurozone came in at 53.5 for February, up from 52.6 in January. A number above 50 signals that the economy is expanding, while a figure below that suggests contraction. The purchasing managers’ data is thought by economists to provide one of the best snapshots of the economy.

Production of official data for the eurozone, compiled from the 19 countries’ national statistics agencies, tends to lag behind similar data for the United States and other developed countries.