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

LaFountaine, 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 LaFountaine surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of LaFountaine in America

LaFountaine is the 34967th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The LaFountaine surname appeared 645 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 LaFountaine.

We can also compare 2010 data for LaFountaine 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 LaFountaine

The surname Lafountaine originated in France during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French words "la" meaning "the" and "fontaine" meaning "fountain" or "spring." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near a fountain or a natural spring.

The earliest known recorded instance of the name Lafountaine dates back to the 13th century in the region of Normandy, France. In 1273, a document mentions a "Robertus de la Fountaine" from the village of Carentan.

During the Middle Ages, the name Lafountaine appeared in various forms, such as La Fontaine, Lafontaine, and De la Fontaine, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations of the time. Some of these variations were likely influenced by place names that incorporated the word "fontaine."

One notable historical figure with the surname Lafountaine was Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695), a renowned French fabulist and one of the most widely read French poets. His fables, which often anthropomorphized animals to satirize human behavior, became a celebrated part of French literature.

Another individual of note was Sir Louis Hippolyte Lafontaine (1807-1864), a Canadian politician and lawyer. He played a crucial role in the formation of the Province of Canada and served as the first Prime Minister of the United Province of Canada from 1842 to 1843.

In England, the name Lafountaine can be traced back to the 16th century. One record from 1586 mentions a "John Lafountaine" who was a merchant in London.

The Lafountaine surname also made its way to the United States during the colonial era. One of the earliest recorded instances was that of Pierre Lafountaine, who settled in New York in the early 18th century.

Another notable individual with this surname was René Lafontaine (1891-1956), a French-Canadian businessman and politician. He served as the Premier of Quebec from 1948 to 1948, although his tenure was brief.

While the surname Lafountaine has French origins, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in France, where it was initially associated with individuals living near natural springs or fountains.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name LaFountaine

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

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

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

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