Explore the Family Name Fontenelle
The meaning of Fontenelle
French: topographic name from a diminutive of Old French fontaine ‘spring, well’ (see Fontaine), or a habitational name from (La) Fontenelle, the name of several places in various parts of France, of the same origin.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Fontenelle in the United States?
The surname Fontenelle gained popularity in the United States between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, it ranked at 71,143 but had moved up to 56,836 by 2010, marking a significant 20.11% increase. The count of individuals with the Fontenelle surname likewise increased from 256 in 2000 to 359 in 2010, a notable rise of 40.23%. Consequently, the proportion of people named Fontenelle per 100,000 residents also grew from 0.09 to 0.12, reflecting a 33.33% growth rate.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #71,143 | #56,836 | 20.11% |
| Count | 256 | 359 | 40.23% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.09 | 0.12 | 33.33% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fontenelle
The ethnic identity associated with the Fontenelle surname underwent some shifts as well during this decade, based on the same Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, the majority of individuals with this surname identified as White (41.41%), followed by Black (34.77%), and American Indian and Alaskan Native (12.11%). However, by 2010, the highest percentage identified as Black (44.57%), while the White population decreased to 34.54%. The proportion of those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native also fell to 10.86%. Interestingly, there is no record of Fontenelles identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander in either year, but the 2010 data showed a new emergence of Hispanic identification at 5.01%. It should be noted that the count for those identifying as two or more races was suppressed for privacy in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 34.77% | 44.57% | 28.19% |
| White | 41.41% | 34.54% | -16.59% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 12.11% | 10.86% | -10.32% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 5.01% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 5.86% | 0% | 0% |