Explore the Family Name Fontes
The meaning of Fontes
Portuguese and Galician: habitational name from any of numerous places called Fontes, from the plural of fonte ‘fount’, ‘source, spring’. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Manuel, Carlos, Jose, Alfredo, Miguel, Alda, Francisco, Jesus, Mario, Octavio, Alicia, Gustavo. Portuguese Joao, Catarina, Henrique, Paulo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Fontes in the United States?
The surname Fontes has seen a growth in popularity between the 2000 and 2010 Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the surname was ranked at 8,139, while in 2010, it climbed to 7,437, an increase of 8.63%. The count, which represents the total number of people with the surname, also rose from 3,751 in 2000 to 4,478 in 2010 – a 19.38% boost. The proportion per 100,000 people also increased by 9.35%, moving from 1.39 to 1.52.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,139 | #7,437 | 8.63% |
| Count | 3,751 | 4,478 | 19.38% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.39 | 1.52 | 9.35% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fontes
Looking at the ethnic identity associated with the Fontes surname, based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, interesting shifts can be observed between 2000 and 2010. There was a significant increase in Black ethnicity, jumping from 5.76% to 10.94%, a change of almost 90%. The Hispanic population also saw a rise, moving up to 30.42% in 2010 from 26.13% in 2000, a 16.42% increase. Conversely, there was a decrease of -76.55% in individuals identifying as belonging to two or more races, dropping from 15.14% in 2000 to 3.55% in 2010. Minor adjustments were seen in Asian/Pacific Islander, White, and American Indian and Alaskan Native populations.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 51.37% | 52.84% | 2.86% |
| Hispanic | 26.13% | 30.42% | 16.42% |
| Black | 5.76% | 10.94% | 89.93% |
| Two or More Races | 15.14% | 3.55% | -76.55% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.23% | 1.9% | 54.47% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.37% | 0.36% | -2.7% |
Fontes 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 Fontes is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 53.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (14.1%) and Indigenous American (8.2%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Italian, Scandinavian, Eastern European, and Senegambian & Guinean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 53.0% |
| British & Irish | 14.1% |
| Indigenous American | 8.2% |
| Other | 24.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Fontes
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 Fontes have recent ancestry locations in Portugal and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Aveiro District, Portugal | 45.50% |
| Azores, Portugal | 45.50% |
| Madeira, Portugal | 45.50% |
| Coimbra District, Portugal | 44.40% |
| Porto District, Portugal | 44.40% |
What Fontes 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 Fontes is E-M78, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-M78 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-Z278, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Cordero, Patino, Roche, Carrera, Centeno, Roach, Roldan, Blanco, Burgos, Oliveira.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Fontes surname are: H1, H, J1. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96Your 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 Fontes 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.
"Fontes" Surname 29.6%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Cheek Dimples
Small indentations that appear on the cheeks when a person smiles.
"Fontes" Surname 33.3%
23andMe Users 37.6%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Fontes" Surname 15.8%
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.
"Fontes" Surname 13.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Fontes?
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 Fontes are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition