Surname Defontaine - Meaning and Origin
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Defontaine: What does the surname Defontaine mean?
The last name Defontaine is of French origin. It is derived from the French word "fontaine," meaning “spring” or “fountain.” The name refers to a person who was either from the town of Fontaine or from a fountain in the surrounding area.
The town of Fontaine is in the department of Ain, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of east-central France. The word "fontaine" is most often used to refer to a spring or source of water, like a fountain or well. The name then became associated with the surname of a person from the area, taking the form of "de Fontaine" or "Defontaine."
Although the name is French, there have been places in both England and the United States that have adopted the name. Some or all of these may have been named for families with the French surname. For example, a town called Fontaine in Virginia was named after an early settler, Simon DeFontaine.
The Defontaine name has strong symbolic significance. It indicates someone's French background, and could point to a relation with a person or family from the historic town of Fontaine. It also suggests a connection with fresh, natural sources of water, such as a spring or fountain. As such, it is an interesting and meaningful family name.
Order DNA origin analysisDefontaine: Where does the name Defontaine come from?
The last name Defontaine is commonly seen in northwestern European countries today - France is the most likely, as it is the region it is associated with historically. Other countries with smaller numbers of people with the last name include Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Defontaine originates from the Latin 'fons de fontes' which translates to 'spring of springs'. It is thought to refer to an area that has multiple sources of water, suggesting that the original inhabitant of the name came from somewhere with plentiful water sources.
In France, Defontaine is most often found in the region of north-western France - most notably the Boulogne region, where many have congregated for centuries due to religious freedoms, and the abundance of resources. It is also recorded alongside the Elbeuf and Rousselin families in the Normandy region. The Elbeuf area is notable for its historic significance dating back to the 16th century.
In Belgium, Defontaine is found mostly in the provinces of Hainaut and West-Vlaanderen, which are in the southern part of Belgium near the French border.
Defontaine is still very much alive today across these European countries, although it is not extremely common. It is a unique name that is steeped in history and the old traditions of northwestern Europe, making those that bear the name quite lucky.
Variations of the surname Defontaine
The surname Defontaine is a French last name that originates from the Latin “de fontana” which means "of the fountain". It is first found in France, and in the late 1700s it spread to the United States.
Variations and spellings of the surname Defontaine include De Fountaine, De Fontaine, De La Fontaine, Dela Fontaine, Defountaine, Defountean, Fontein, Fountaine, Fontaine, Fontan, Fontane, La Fontaine, De Fontanne, De Fontenay, De Fontenelle, de Founteneau, De Fountenelle, De Fonteyne, de la Fontenelle, De la Fonterrée, Del Fonteneau, Des Fontaines, Defonteneau and many more.
Surnames of the same origin include Dufour, Desforges, DesFogeux, Degagne, Defandt, Fouquet, Fauque, Foucette, DuFresne, Faucheux, DeFranceschi, Faucher, and Fauchon.
Despite the many variations, all of these surnames have their origins in the Latin phrase “de fontana” and all generally refer to a person or family originating from a place near a fountain or body of water.
Famous people with the name Defontaine
- Anthony Defontaine: a renowned British actor and model known for his roles in numerous films and TV shows such as "Skyfall" and "The Hollow Crown."
- Laetitia Defontaine: French fashion and jewelry designer and talent agent.
- Jean-Claude Defontaine: a French entrepreneur and computer scientist, famous for creating the open source software platform R.
- André Defontaine: a French filmmaker, scriptwriter and videographer best known for his documentaries such as "Demain on Fait Quoi?" and "Mystere d'un Personnage La La Lada."
- Romy Defontaine: American singer and songwriter with a successful career spanning decades. She is best known for her work in the genres of R&B and Soul music.
- Christian Defontaine: a well-known French chef and restaurateur known for his traditional French cuisine.
- Max Defontaine: a Swiss alpine skier and Olympic medalist.
- Nico Defontaine: a Belgian musician and producer known for his blues and rock music.
- Marie-Christine Defontaine: a French painter and sculptor from the post-impressionist era, known for her vivid depictions of human emotions.
- Esmeralda Defontaine: a Latin American actress and voice-over artist, best known for her starring roles in the films "Despierta Magos," "El Oso Enamorado" and "Yo No Me Veré Tocar."