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

LaFontant, 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 LaFontant surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of LaFontant in America

LaFontant is the 27303rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The LaFontant surname appeared 885 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname LaFontant.

We can also compare 2010 data for LaFontant 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 LaFontant

The surname LAFONTANT is of French origin, with roots tracing back to the 17th century. It is derived from the Old French words "la" meaning "the" and "fontaine" meaning "fountain" or "spring." This name likely originated in an area of France where there was a prominent fountain or natural spring, and early bearers of the name may have lived near or been associated with such a location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LAFONTANT name can be found in the parish records of the Normandy region of France, dating back to the late 1600s. These records often include variations in spelling, such as LAFONTAINE or LAFONTANE, reflecting the evolution of the name over time.

The LAFONTANT surname has a rich history, with notable individuals bearing this name throughout the centuries. One such figure was Jean-Baptiste Lafontant, a French military officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century. He was born in 1775 and died in 1815, having fought in several major campaigns alongside Napoleon's forces.

Another notable bearer of the LAFONTANT name was Marie-Rose Lafontant, a Haitian writer and activist who played a significant role in the country's literary and political movements in the early 20th century. She was born in 1890 and her works often explored themes of social justice and women's rights.

In the late 19th century, a wealthy French businessman named Pierre Lafontant made a name for himself in the textile industry. He established several successful factories in the city of Lyon, known for its silk production, and his descendants continued to carry on the family name and business ventures.

The LAFONTANT surname has also been associated with various place names throughout France, such as the village of Lafontant in the Auvergne region, which likely derived its name from the presence of a local fountain or spring.

It is worth noting that while the LAFONTANT surname has French origins, it has also been adopted and carried on by families in other parts of the world, particularly in former French colonies and territories where French influence was present.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name LaFontant

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

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 LaFontant 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 LaFontant 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 LaFontant was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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