Show ContentsFortin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Fortin family

The surname Fortin 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 Fortin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fortin research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1698, 1720 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: Fort, Forte, Forten, Fortern, Fortberger, Forteau, Fortema, Fortemps, Forter, Fortin, Fortner, Forton and many more.

Early Notables of the Fortin family

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

Fortin World Ranking

In the United States, the name Fortin is the 2,910th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Fortin is ranked the 34th most popular surname with an estimated 44,758 people with that name. 2 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Fortin is the 9th popular surname. 3 France ranks Fortin as 452nd with 9,595 people. 4


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 5
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 5
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 6
  • François Fortin, son of Guillaume and Catherine, who married Marie Jolliet, daughter of Jean and Marie, in Quebec on 6th April 1660 6
  • 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 6
  • 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 6
  • 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 6
  • 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 6
  • ... (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
  • 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
  • Major-General Louis-Alexandre-Fernand Fortin (1889-1949), French General in World War II 7
  • André-Gilles Fortin (1943-1977), Canadian politician in the 1970s
  • Jean-Francois Fortin (b. 1979), Canadian professional NHL hockey player from Laval, Quebec

USS Indianapolis
  • Verlin Leverre Fortin (1925-2015), American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he survived the sinking 8


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  3. "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
  4. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  5. 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)
  6. Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958.
  7. 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
  8. Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew


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