Fortin
A surname most often explained as French, possibly from a nickname for someone small or for a fortified place.
The #4,029 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 35,029 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Fortin is usually treated as a French surname. In French, fort means “strong” or “fortified,” and fortin can refer to a small fort or a little stronghold. Some old surname writers also linked Fortin with nickname formations or with the personal name Fortuné/Fortune in certain cases, so the exact origin may vary by family line.
History
The name appears in medieval French and Norman records, and it also shows up in England among families of Norman background. Later it remained well established in French-speaking areas and spread more widely through migration. In North America, especially Canada and the United States, Fortin is commonly found in French-Canadian family lines.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
French fortin can also mean a small fort or little stronghold, which makes the surname feel especially vivid and place-like.
From the historical record
“land, Whelan, etc. 6 poi]i|iei-6, (?) Ferry. (3 "poijtcceipn, Fortin, Fortune^ 0 "pollAiiiAin, Falloon, Fallon, Fallen, etc. (3 potiATniAm, Farnan, Farnon;”
— Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish names and surnames