Show ContentsBelafonte History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Belafonte

What does the name Belafonte mean?

The French region of Savoie is the ancestral homeland of the prestigious surname Belafonte. The name Belafonte is derived from the Old French word "fontaine," which means "fountain," and as a name it no doubt originally served as a mark of recognition for someone who lived near such a landmark. As such, Belafonte is classed as a topographic surname.

Early Origins of the Belafonte family

The surname Belafonte was first found in Savoy (French: Savoie) in the Rhône-Alpes region of the French Alps, where this renowned family has held a family seat since ancient times.

Early History of the Belafonte family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Belafonte research. Another 310 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1238, 1339, 1357, 1390, 1418, 1450, 1521, 1551, 1579, 1600, 1621, 1658, 1663, 1685, 1695, 1696, 1702, 1731, 1745, 1752, 1789, 1816 and 1882 are included under the topic Early Belafonte History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Belafonte Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Lafontaine, Lafontain, Lafantaine, Fontaine, Fantaine, Fontain, Fontein, Fantein, Fantaine, Fonteyn, Lafonteyn, Lafon and many more.

Early Notables of the Belafonte family

Pierre Fontaine (c. 1390-1450), a French composer and singer, who served in the chapel of Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy; François Lafontaine , Lord of Mézeyrac during the 1600's; Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695), a French poet and man of letters, considered one of the great French classical authors; Jean Desfontaines (c. 1658-1752), a French Baroque composer; The Abbé Pierre François Guyot-Desfontaines (1685-1745), a French...
Another 65 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Belafonte Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Belafonte family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: F.L. Lafontaine, aged 22, who settled in Mississippi in 1820; F.L Lafontaine, aged 22, who came to New Orleans in 1820; John LaFontaine, aged 28, who settled in Charleston in 1823.


Contemporary Notables of the name Belafonte (post 1700) +

  • Harry Belafonte (1927-2023), born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr., an American three-time Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, and a Tony award winning singer, activist, and actor who popularized the Jamaican mento folk songs including "The Banana Boat Song", "Jump in the Line (Shake, Senora)", "Jamaica Farewell", "Mary's Boy Child" and many more, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994


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