Fortier
A French surname that likely began as a nickname or occupational name tied to a stronghold, fortification, or a person associated with a fort.
The #4,649 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 40,443 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Fortier is best understood as a French surname built on fort--, the word-family for “strong” or “fortified,” ultimately from Latin fortis, meaning “strong.” In older French surname use, it may have referred either to someone living by or working at a fortification, or to a person seen as strong or sturdy. Some 19th-century writers also connect it with place-names or with related forms such as Forestier, but the exact pathway is not fully secure.
History
The name appears in French surname lists and was especially carried into North America by French settlers and later French-Canadian families. Historical surname writers disagreed a bit on the precise derivation, which is common for short French names built on fort- and related forms. In English-speaking countries today, Fortier is most often encountered as a French-Canadian surname.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same fort- root also appears in many other French surnames and place-names, especially those connected with forts or fortified sites.
From the historical record
“le Centre. Fortier. G.irde de bois (oil). — Abr. de Forestier. Fortin. M. s. q. Forteau. Comme lieu fortifié, le mot n'est pas ancien.”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)