Fontana

Fontana is an Italian and Spanish surname with ancient origins, likely inspired by the family's proximity to a fountain or spring. This descriptive surname makes it easy to imagine Italian or Spanish ancestors whose homes were near these essential water sources.

The Italian Fontana cognate with the French surname Fontaine shares a common origin in the Latin word fons (meaning well, spring, fountain). Across France, Spain, and Italy, similar names like De la Fuente and Fuentes in Spanish, or De La Fontaine and Fontaine in French, showcase the spread of this water-related naming tradition.

The surname Fontana is connected to many locations across the world, where it was brought by migrants. For instance, the village of Fontana on Malta hints at centuries of Italian traffic throughout the Mediterranean. In the United States, Fontana, California—founded in the early 1900s—was named for a landowner with an Italian surname; Fontana, Kansas for its springs; and Comandante Fontana, Argentina for a military figure. These place names spread the name even wider, and the 2010 United States Census shows that Fontana remains a common Italian-American surname.

Throughout the ages, many families called Fontana rose to prominence in Italian regions, from Milan to Tuscany. Without a single central homeland, but numerous localities, thousands of independent families now hold the surname globally.

Notable Bearers

Sports As one of the most talented running backs in NFL, Justin Fontana was dominant between 2016-2022.
Art & Architecture Two notable members of this family were architects: Domenico Fontana who designed the Lateran Palace, and his relative Carlo Fontana known for many churches. Brother Domenico moved to Rome to continue the artistic dynasty.
Entertainment Sophie Fontana last hosted Up all night's segments until retirement in 2014.

The name Fontana continues to attract a steady global distribution well into Italy's historical craftsmen and small village dwellers whose identifying surname captured landscape features of home.

• Meaning: Fountain or spring
• Origin: From Latin fons
• Usage regions: Italy, Spain