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Fortin History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Fortin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Germany
Italy

From the ancient and picturesque Italian region of Venice emerged a variety of distinguished names, including the notable surname Fortin. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves as populations grew and travel became more frequent. The process of adopting fixed hereditary surnames was not complete until the modern era, but the use of hereditary family names in Italy began in the 10th and 11th centuries. Italian hereditary surnames were developed according to fairly general principles and they are characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. Although the most traditional type of family name found in the region of Venice is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, local surnames are also found. Local names, which are the least frequent of the major types of surnames found in Italy, are derived from a place-name where the original bearer once resided or held land. Often Italian local surnames bore the prefix "di," which signifies emigration from one place to another, but does not necessarily denote nobility. The Fortin family lived in Ferrara, one of the more prosperous cities at this early time. Records are found in 1322, when the Fortiboni family moved from Ferrara to Cesena.

Early Origins of the Fortin family

The surname Fortin was first found in Ferrara, a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. History dates the city back to 753. Records are found in 1322, when the Fortiboni family moved from Ferrara to Cesena.

Early History of the Fortin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fortin research. The years 1419, 1465, 1508, 1590 and 1759 are included under the topic Early Fortin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fortin Spelling Variations

In comparison with other European surnames, Italian surnames have a surprising number of forms. They reflect the regional variations and the many dialects of the Italian language, each with its own distinctive features. For example, in Northern Italy the typical Italian surname suffix is "i", whereas in Southern Italy it is "o". Additionally, spelling changes frequently occurred because medieval scribes and church officials often spelled names as they sounded rather than according to any specific spelling rules. The spelling variations in the name Fortin include Forti, Forte, Fort, Fortis, Lo Forte, Fortezza, Fortiboni, Fortini, Fortino, Fortin, Forteguerri and many more.

Early Notables of the Fortin family

Prominent among members of the family was

Niccol Forteguerri, a Cardinal and diplomat in Pistoia born in 1419. He earned his degree in canon law at the University of Bologna and went on to become an ecclesiastic. Antonio Forteguerri was a man...

Fortin World Ranking

In the United States, the name Fortin is the 2,910^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Fortin is ranked the 34^th most popular surname with an estimated 44,758 people with that name. 2 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Fortin is the 9^th popular surname. 3 France ranks Fortin as 452^nd with 9,595 people. 4

Fortin migration to the United States +

A look at the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Fortin:

Fortin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Fortin, who landed in Maryland in 1675 5

Fortin Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Anne Fortin, who settled in Boston in 1763
Julien Fortin, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1763 5

Fortin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Fortin aged 25, who settled in New York in 1822
Samuel Fortin, who settled in Philadelphia in 1842
F. Fortin, who settled in San Francisco in 1853
Robert Fortin, who settled in Philadelphia in 1871
Desiree Fortin, aged 21, who landed in America, in 1895

Fortin Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Emelie Fortin, aged 28, who settled in America, in 1907
Gustave Fortin, aged 42, who settled in America from Paris, France, in 1911
Arturo Fortin, aged 18, who landed in America from Colwyn Bay, North Wales, in 1913
Baptiste Fortin, aged 20, who immigrated to America, in 1918
Damion T. Fortin, aged 51, who immigrated to the United States, in 1918
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Fortin migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Fortin Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

François Fortin, of the branch of the family in Brittany, who immigrated to New France in 1617
Julien Fortin dit Bellefontaine, of Maine arrived in New France in 1649
Julien Fortin, son of Julien and Marie, who married Geneviève Gamache-Lamarre, daughter of Nicolas and Jacqueline, in Quebec on 11th November 1652 6
François Fortin, son of Guillaume and Catherine, who married Marie Jolliet, daughter of Jean and Marie, in Quebec on 6th April 1660 6
Barbe Fortin, who was married to Pierre Gagnon in Quebec in 1669
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Fortin Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

René Fortin, son of Louis and Catherine, who married Françoise-Madeleine Périer, daughter of Jean and Marie, in Bout-de-L'Isle, Quebec on 31st January 1710 6
Joseph Fortin, son of François and Louise, who married Jeanne Lorrain, daughter of Pierre and Marie, in Rivière des Prairies, Quebec on 17th November 1710 6
Charles Fortin, son of Charles and Xainte, who married Louise Guimont, daughter of Claude and Anne, in Cap-Saint-Ignace, Quebec on 5th November 1712 6
Louis Fortin, who married Anne Bossé in Quebec in 1714
Pierre Fortin, son of Pierre and Michelle, who married Marie-Catherine Bonhomme, daughter of Ignace and Agnès, in Sainte-Foy, Quebec on 12th February 1714 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Fortin Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Alfred Fortin, aged 62, who immigrated to Frazerville, Canada, in 1911
George Fortin, aged 29, who settled in St. John's, Quebec, in 1913
J. E. Fortin, aged 45, who settled in Quebec, Canada, in 1913
Joseph Fortin, aged 47, who settled in Outremont, Canada, in 1913

Contemporary Notables of the name Fortin (post 1700) +

Jean Fortin, American writer
Raymond Henri "Ray" Fortin (1941-2023), Canadian professional NHL ice hockey player who played 92 games for the St. Louis Blues (1967-1974)
Andrée Fortin (1953-2022), Canadian sociologist, academic, and writer, born in Quebec City
André "Dédé" Fortin (1962-2000), Canadian leader and singer of the Québec band Les Colocs and an important figure in the history of Quebec music
Major-General Louis-Alexandre-Fernand Fortin (1889-1949), French General in World War II 7
André-Gilles Fortin (1943-1977), Canadian politician in the 1970s
Jean-Francois Fortin (b. 1979), Canadian professional NHL hockey player from Laval, Quebec

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958.
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 4) Louis-Alexandre-Fernand Fortin. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Fortin/Louis-Alexandre-Fernand/France.html