Fontan Coat of Arms Record & History

A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fontan family lines. Documented in 3 countries.

Reg. 3734 · Italian, D–F

Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details

Symbols on this shield

chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion

roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades

dolphinSwiftness, charity and love

eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind

Colours

Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth

Gold (Or)Means: Generosity

Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity

Black (Sable)Means: Constancy

Historical info

Source

J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87

Blazon (the actual original written record)

“D'azur à une fontaine jaillissante de quatre traits, le bassin soutenu de deux dauphins, le tout d'arg.; au chef d'or, ch. d'une aigle de sa., cour. d'or. Cq. cour. C.: l'aigle. D.: SIC VIRTUS PER ARDUA TRANSIT.”

ItalyMilan, c. 1775

Where the Fontan Arms Were Recorded

Milan

Map of Italy showing where the Fontan arms are recorded

The Fontan arms were recorded in Milan, c. 1775.

This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.

Region: Milan
Town: Milan
First recorded: 1775

Granting Authority for the Fontan Arms

Authority

The Italian states

before 1861

The body that granted and recorded arms in Italy in this period.

Sovereign of the period

Alvise Giovanni Mocenigo

1763–1778

Reigning in Italy when the Fontan arms are first recorded.

How Arms Worked in Italy

In the Italian states, coats of arms were often used by noble families to show their status and history. These symbols were passed down through the generations to all legitimate male descendants. Younger branches of a family usually kept the original design but sometimes added small changes to distinguish their specific line from the main branch.

Granting authority: Various local rulers and city governments controlled the use of coats of arms across the different Italian states.
How they got arms: Families often assumed their own arms or received them as official grants from local lords, popes, or city councils.
Where arms were recorded: Arms were recorded in local city archives or private family books rather than in one single national register.
The family's standing: Recorded among the armigerous families of Italy.

Origin & History of the Fontan Family in Italy

The surname Fontan traces its roots to the Latin word *fons*, which refers to a spring or a natural source of water. In the context of Northern Italy, this name likely identified families who lived near a prominent water source or worked as managers of local irrigation systems. By the late eighteenth century, the family established a notable presence in Milan. Records from 1775 confirm that members of the Fontan family were active in the city during a period of significant social and economic transition under the rule of the Austrian Habsburgs. During this era, Milan was a growing center for commerce and administration, and the family likely integrated into the urban professional class. Their presence in the city suggests they were part of the local community that navigated the complex bureaucratic and cultural shifts of the Enlightenment period in Lombardy.

Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details

Symbols on this shield

mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it

roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades

eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind

Colours

Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity

Green (Vert)Means: Hope

Gold (Or)Means: Generosity

Black (Sable)Means: Constancy

Historical info

Source

J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87

Blazon (the actual original written record)

“D'arg. à une fontaine d'or, jaillissante de deux traits d'arg., accostée de deux aigles de profil affr. de sa., les ailes levées, perchées sur le bord du bassin, buvant dans ledit bassin; la fontaine posée sur une terrasse isolée de sin.”

SpainMurcie, c. 1722

Where the Fontan Arms Were Recorded

Murcie

Map of Spain showing where the Fontan arms are recorded

The Fontan arms were recorded in Murcie, c. 1722.

This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.

Region: Murcie
Town: Murcie
First recorded: 1722

Granting Authority for the Fontan Arms

Authority

Cronista Rey de Armas

1496-present

The body that granted and recorded arms in Spain in this period.

Sovereign of the period

Philip V of Spain

1714–1724

Reigning in Italy when the Fontan arms are first recorded.

How Arms Worked in Spain

In Spain, a coat of arms was considered a form of property that belonged to the entire family line. These arms were passed down from a father to all his children equally. Younger branches of the family usually kept the original design without needing to add any special marks to distinguish their specific line.

Granting authority: The Cronista Rey de Armas was the official body that regulated and granted coats of arms throughout Spain.
How they got arms: Families often obtained their arms through royal grants or by proving their noble status to the official heraldic authority.
Where arms were recorded: Coats of arms were officially recorded in the registers of the Cronista Rey de Armas starting in 1496.
The family's standing: Recorded among the armigerous families of Spain.

Origin & History of the Fontan Family in Spain

The surname Fontan is rooted in the linguistic landscape of the Iberian Peninsula, where it evolved from the Latin word for a spring or fountain. While the name is often associated with the broader Mediterranean region, its presence in Spain reflects the movement of families across changing borders and territories. By the early eighteenth century, the Fontan family had established a documented presence in the region of Murcia. Records from 1722 confirm that members of the family were active participants in the local community during this period. This era in Murcia was characterized by agricultural development and the growth of local administrative structures, providing a stable environment for families to settle and integrate into the social fabric of the city. As the family became more deeply rooted in the area, they contributed to the local economy and the ongoing history of the region.

Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details

Symbols on this shield

paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence

eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind

roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades

mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above

Colours

Red (Gules)Means: Military strength

Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity

Black (Sable)Means: Constancy

Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth

Gold (Or)Means: Generosity

Historical info

Source

J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87

Blazon (the actual original written record)

“Tiercé en fasce: au 1 de gu. à l'aigle ép. de sa.; au 2 d'arg. à une fontaine d'azur jaillissante du même, accostée de deux étoiles d'or; au 3 d'arg. à trois pals de gu. Cq. cour. C.: cinq pl. d'aut. d'arg.”

Polandc. 1772

Where the Fontan Arms Were Recorded

Mazovia

Map of Poland showing where the Fontan arms are recorded

The Fontan arms were recorded in Poland, c. 1772.

Arms such as these were typically recorded in Mazovia.

Mazovia held Warsaw, the Polish court and the assemblies where the szlachta met. Poland's nobles were unusually numerous and every one of them bore arms, and Warsaw is where those arms were argued over and recorded.

This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.

Region: Mazovia
First recorded: 1772

Granting Authority for the Fontan Arms

Authority

Ennoblement by the Sejm

1578-1795

The body that granted and recorded arms in Poland in this period.

Sovereign of the period

Stanisław August Poniatowski

1764–1795

Reigning in Italy when the Fontan arms are first recorded.

How Arms Worked in Poland

Polish noble families shared a single coat of arms across many different surnames, creating large clans rather than individual designs. These symbols were held collectively by all members of the clan regardless of their specific family name. When a new family joined the nobility, they were adopted into an existing clan and began using that group's established shield.

Granting authority: The Sejm, which was the Polish parliament, held the power to grant noble status and the right to bear arms.
How they got arms: Families typically received their coat of arms through a formal act of ennoblement granted by the Sejm for distinguished service.
Where arms were recorded: These grants were officially recorded in the Crown Metrica, which served as the central archive for state documents starting in the sixteenth century.
The family's standing: Recorded among the armigerous families of Poland.

Origin & History of the Fontan Family in Poland

The name Fontan carries a history that reflects the movement of people across Europe before the family established roots in the Mazovia region of Poland by 1772. The name itself is derived from the Latin word for a fountain or spring, which suggests that the earliest ancestors likely lived near a prominent water source or worked as water management specialists. By the late eighteenth century, members of the Fontan family were documented as part of the local population in Mazovia, a central province known for its agricultural importance and its role in the shifting political landscape of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. During this era, families with such names often integrated into the local community by adopting the customs and language of the region while maintaining their distinct identity. Their presence in Mazovia during this time indicates that they were part of the social fabric of the territory just as it faced significant historical changes, including the first partition of Poland. This early period in Mazovia serves as the foundation for the family's long-standing connection to the region and its development within Polish society.