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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

The name Fortin originally comes from the French word "fort", which means "strong". Sources believe the name was most commonly used for "un homme fort", or in English, "a strong man". 1

Early Origins of the Fortin family

The surname Fortin was first found in Orléanais, where they held a family seat at De Fortan, a village in the department of Loire, in the arrondisement of Vendome 2.

This distinguished family later branched to Tournai in Normandy, and to Ile-de-France where they held considerable estates. The family also acquired possessions in Maine.

Louis Fortin, born in 1647, son of Philippe and Agnes (née Londin), travelled from Évreux, France to the New World in the 17th century. After settling in Quebec, Louis married Catherine Godin, daughter of Pierre and Jeanne (née Rousseliere), in Montreal on 21st November 1672. 3

Early History of the Fortin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fortin research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1590, 1621 and 1817 are included under the topic Early Fortin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fortin Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Fortin, Forttin, Fortain, Forttain, Fortein, Forttein, Fortaing, Forttaing, Fortaine, Forttaine, Forting, Fortting, Forteins, Fortteins, Fortains, Forttains, Phortin, Phorttin, Phortain, Phorttain, Phortein, Phorttein, Phortaing, Phorttaing, Phortaine, Phorttaine, Phorting, Phortting, Phorteins, Phortteins, Phortains and many more.

Early Notables of the Fortin family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Fortin of Orleans

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. 4 However, in Canada, the name Fortin is ranked the 34^th most popular surname with an estimated 44,758 people with that name. 5 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Fortin is the 9^th popular surname. 6 France ranks Fortin as 452^nd with 9,595 people. 7

Fortin migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Fortin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Fortin, who landed in Maryland in 1675 8

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 8

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 9
François Fortin, son of Guillaume and Catherine, who married Marie Jolliet, daughter of Jean and Marie, in Quebec on 6th April 1660 9
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 9
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 9
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 9
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 9
... (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
Major-General Louis-Alexandre-Fernand Fortin (1889-1949), French General in World War II 10
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
André-Gilles Fortin (1943-1977), Canadian politician in the 1970s
Jean-Francois Fortin (b. 1979), Canadian professional NHL hockey player from Laval, Quebec

Citations +

Dauzat, Albert, Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionaire Étymologique des Noms et Prénoms de France. Paris: Librairie Larousse, 1987. Print.
Dionne, N.-E., Origine Des Familles Canadiennes-Français. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1969. Print.
Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print
"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