Fontenot
A French surname built from a place-name element meaning “spring” or “fountain,” likely pointing to someone from a place with a notable spring or water source.
The #1,792 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 15,410 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Fontenot is a French surname of locational origin. It is generally understood as coming from a place-name built on Old French fontaine, meaning “spring” or “fountain,” with a diminutive or localizing ending. In that sense, the name would have identified someone who came from, or lived near, a place associated with a spring or water source.
History
The surname is especially well known in Louisiana, where it became established among Acadian and French-speaking families. Like many French surnames in North America, it reflects the long survival of regional French naming traditions after migration. The spelling Fontenot is now strongly associated with Cajun heritage in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Fontenot is one of the surnames often associated with Cajun identity in Louisiana, where many French family names survived in recognizable form.