Show ContentsFortner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Fortner family

The surname Fortner was first found in the Rhineland, where this family was a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always influential in social affairs, the name Fort became an integral part of that turbulent region as it forged alliances with other families within the region and the nation.

Early History of the Fortner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fortner research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1698, 1720 and 1817 are included under the topic Early Fortner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fortner Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Fort, Forte, Forten, Fortern, Fortberger, Forteau, Fortema, Fortemps, Forter, Fortin, Fortner, Forton and many more.

Early Notables of the Fortner family

More information is included under the topic Early Fortner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fortner Ranking

In the United States, the name Fortner is the 2,579th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 1


United States Fortner migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Fortner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Thomas Fortner, who landed in Mississippi in 1799 2
  • Vicent Fortner, who arrived in Mississippi in 1799 2
Fortner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Albina Fortner, who arrived in Chicago in 1873
  • Johann Fortner, who arrived in New York, NY in 1890

Canada Fortner migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Fortner Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • James Fortner, who arrived in Ontario in 1871

Contemporary Notables of the name Fortner (post 1700) +

  • Nell Fortner (b. 1959), American Olympic gold medalist basketball player and coach
  • Ronnie Fortner (1941-2003), American radio and television anchor
  • Ethel Nestell Fortner (1907-1987), American poet, critic and editor
  • Wolfgang Fortner (1907-1987), German composer, composition teacher and conductor


Suggested Readings for the name Fortner +

  • The Fortner Family by Virginia Lobdell Jennings.

  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)


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