Explore the Family Name Fontaine
The meaning of Fontaine
1. French and Walloon: topographic name for someone living near a spring or well, from Old French fontaine, from Late Latin fontana, a derivative of Latin fons (see Font); or a habitational name from Fontaine, the name of several places in various parts of France. Compare Fountaine. 2. Shortened form of French Lafontaine, a variant of 1 above. 3. English: variant of Fountain or a surname of French (Huguenot) origin (see 1 above). History: Étienne Fontaine from L’Île-d’Yeu in Vendée, France, married Marie Conille in Saint-Laurent, Île d’Orléans, QC, in 1683. Pierre Fontaine dit Bienvenu from Orléans in Loiret, France, married first Marguerite Anthiaume in QC in 1692, and second Marguerite Gentès in Varennes, QC, in 1700; his descendants also bear the former secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name Bienvenu. — The surname Fontaine of French origin is listed in the (US) National Huguenot Society’s register of qualified Huguenot ancestors (in the form la Fontaine) and also in the similar register of the Huguenot Society of America. Some characteristic forenames: French Armand, Andre, Normand, Pierre, Emile, Fernand, Lucien, Marcel, Adelard, Henri, Jacques, Laurent.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Fontaine in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Fontaine has seen a slight dip in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Fontaine was the 2856th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had slipped to 3012th place, marking a decrease of 5.46%. However, while the ranking fell, the number of people bearing the Fontaine surname actually increased from 11,542 in 2000 to 11,901 in 2010, representing a growth of 3.11%. The proportion of the population with this surname per 100,000 people decreased by 5.84% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,856 | #3,012 | -5.46% |
| Count | 11,542 | 11,901 | 3.11% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.28 | 4.03 | -5.84% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fontaine
In regards to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some changes between 2000 and 2010 for individuals carrying the Fontaine surname. The percentage identifying as White decreased slightly from 86.19% to 83.54%. Conversely, the percentages for those identifying as Hispanic and Black rose from 2.90% and 8.59% to 4.04% and 9.66% respectively. Notable increases were also observed among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native, which saw increases from 0.52% to 0.63% and from 0.25% to 0.38% respectively. Those identifying as belonging to two or more ethnicities also increased from 1.55% to 1.75%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 86.19% | 83.54% | -3.07% |
| Black | 8.59% | 9.66% | 12.46% |
| Hispanic | 2.9% | 4.04% | 39.31% |
| Two or More Races | 1.55% | 1.75% | 12.9% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.52% | 0.63% | 21.15% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.25% | 0.38% | 52% |
Fontaine ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Fontaine is British & Irish, which comprises 39.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (28.3%) and Spanish & Portuguese (8.9%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Eastern European, Scandinavian, Nigerian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 39.0% |
| French & German | 28.3% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 8.9% |
| Other | 23.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Fontaine
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Fontaine have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 71.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 70.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 70.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 70.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 69.70% |
What Fontaine haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Fontaine is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Y4010 and R-L2, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Noonan, Lombardi, Godfrey, Ferrari, Ackerman, Garland, Eaton, Lundy, Stocker, Doughty.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Fontaine surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Fontaine have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Fontaine" Surname 41.9%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Fontaine" Surname 22.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Fontaine" Surname 23.3%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Fontaine" Surname 19.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Fontaine?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Fontaine are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition