Fontanes

Fontanes is a French toponym and surname. It refers to several places in France and is also found as a family name in French-speaking communities. The toponym is typically linked to a geographical feature such as a spring or fountain and is part of a broader family of place names formed from the root font- relating to water sources.

Etymology: Fontanes derives from Latin fontanus and related Old French forms, with the element font- indicating a fountain or spring. The suffixes commonly appearing in French toponyms, including the -anes ending, help designate a locality connected to a water feature.

Geographic usage and history: The name appears in medieval charters and parish records in various regions, reflecting the common practice of naming settlements after natural features. Over time some places named Fontanes were merged with neighboring communes or renamed, but the toponym persists in historical documents and in the surnames of people with ancestral ties to those locales.

Surname usage: Fontanes is used as a surname in France and in other Francophone areas. As with many toponymic surnames, bearers may trace genealogical connections to one or more places bearing the name.

Notable individuals: No widely recognized figure named Fontanes is presented here; the surname appears in historical and contemporary records in various contexts.

See also: Fontaines, Fontaine, Fontan.