Desfontaines

Desfontaines is a French surname and toponym. The name derives from the phrase des fontaines, meaning from the fountains, and likely originated as a toponymic designation for someone from a place characterized by fountains or springs. It spread through France and into French-speaking communities abroad, where it has remained a recognizable surname.

Variants include Des Fontaines and Desfontaine, though today the form Desfontaines is the most common.

Notable individuals with the surname include René Louiche Desfontaines (1750–1831), a French botanist who conducted field studies in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and made important contributions to plant taxonomy. He is commemorated in botanical names; for example, the genus Desfontainia was named in his honor.

In historical and genealogical records, the name appears in various contexts within French culture, science, and administration, reflecting the surname’s long-standing presence. The name also occurs as a component of place-based toponyms and as a traditional family name in regions of France.

See also: Fontaines (surname), Des Fontaines, Desfontaine.