Fontana
An Italian and Spanish surname from a word for a spring or fountain.
The #4,615 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 40,175 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Fontana comes from Latin fontana, meaning “spring” or “fountain,” ultimately related to Latin fons, fontis, “source” or “spring.” It began as a word for a water source and then became a surname for someone who lived near a fountain, spring, or place called Fontana. The historical sources also connect it with related forms such as Fontan, Fontaine, and Fontenay.
History
The name is well established in Italy and also appears in Spanish-speaking areas, where it has the same basic sense. It is a common toponymic surname type in Romance languages, and related forms are found across France and the Iberian world. The surname has been borne by several notable Italians, which helped keep it visible outside its original regional settings.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same Latin root behind Fontana also lies behind many place names and surnames across Romance Europe, from Fontaine to Fontenay.
From the historical record
“fontaine desséchée (oil, oc). Fontan, Fontana. Fontaine ; source d"eau vive {oc). Fontanet , Fontelle , Fonte- naux, Fontenay, Fonteneau, Fontanelle , Fontenille , Fonte-”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)