Find out how popular the last name Fonte is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Fonte.

Fonte, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Fonte surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fonte in America

Fonte is the 17331st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fonte surname appeared 1,631 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Fonte.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fonte to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Fonte

The surname FONTE originated in Portugal and Spain during the Middle Ages, derived from the Latin word "fontana" meaning "fountain" or "spring." It was initially a topographic name given to individuals who lived near a spring or fountain.

The earliest recorded instances of the name FONTE can be traced back to the 12th century in various medieval documents from the Iberian Peninsula. The name appeared in the "Livro de Linhagens" (Book of Lineages), a Portuguese genealogical record compiled in the 13th century, indicating its widespread use among noble families in that region.

In the 14th century, the name FONTE was mentioned in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a hunting treatise commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile, Spain. This text listed several individuals with the surname, suggesting their involvement in hunting activities or their association with specific geographic locations where hunting took place.

One notable bearer of the name was João Rodrigues Fonte, a 15th-century Portuguese explorer who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his voyage to India in 1497. He played a crucial role in establishing trade relations between Portugal and the East Indies.

Another individual of historical significance was Diego de la Fuente (1510-1575), a Spanish conquistador and explorer who participated in the conquest of Peru and founded the city of Arequipa in 1540.

In the 16th century, the name FONTE appeared in various municipal records and census documents from Portugal and Spain, indicating its widespread use among the general population.

During the 17th century, Father António da Fonte (1619-1680), a Portuguese Jesuit missionary, gained recognition for his work in China, where he served as a translator and interpreter for the imperial court.

Another notable figure was José Fernández de la Fuente (1720-1798), a Spanish military engineer and architect who designed several fortifications and public buildings in Spain and its colonies.

As the centuries progressed, the name FONTE continued to be prevalent in the Iberian Peninsula, with various spelling variations such as Fuente, Fonte, and Fontana emerging due to regional linguistic differences and evolving naming conventions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fonte

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Fonte.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Fonte was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Fonte has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Fonte was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Fonte, please contact us.

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