Surname Fance - Meaning and Origin
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Fance: What does the surname Fance mean?
The last name Fance is of French origin and is derived from the word "fance," which comes from the Latin word "fantasia." This literally translates as "fantastic" or "fantasy," and is believed to have originated when medieval people gave fanciful nicknames to each other.
The surname was adopted by many people who lived in the Little France region of medieval Europe. It is thought that some bearers of the name migrated to Britain during the Norman conquest. There is also records of the name Fance being used in Italy prior to this, indicating that it was also used by people in the medieval period.
The meaning of the name Fance is believed to be that of a person who has a tendency to imagine things, and be fantasize. The surname could have also been given to someone who was highly creative, and used their imagination to explore new ideas, or to think outside of the box.
Over the centuries, the last name Fance has been adopted by people of different backgrounds and religions. For example, records show that it was also popular among Jewish people in Europe, and today it is also found in North and South American countries.
Therefore, the surname Fance is thought to have acquired worldwide recognition as a result of being adopted by so many people from different walks of life over the centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisFance: Where does the name Fance come from?
The last name Fance is quite common across the United States and Europe. Within the United States and its territories, the last name Fance is most prevalent in states concentrated in the northeastern U.S., such as New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, as well as in southern states like Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. States like Illinois and Texas also have larger populations of the Fance name.
Internationally, the Fance surname can be found across most of Europe. Its greatest prevalence is likely in France and German, in which it is among the 100 most common surnames listed in those two countries, respectively. The surname is also seen in smaller numbers in other western and northern European countries, such as Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, as well as in Italy, Hungary, and the Netherlands. In central and eastern Europe, the surname is more dispersed, with isolated pockets in Slovakia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Croatia, and Romania. Additionally, the surname is seen in Israel with some small populations in Jordan and Turkey.
Variations of the surname Fance
The surname Fance has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Fanc, Faunce, Fanz, Faunz, Fauntz, Fantz, Fauntce, Fancey, Faunse, Faus, Fince, Phance, Phauntce, Phancy, and Fancell.
Fance is usually an Anglo-Norman, French and Irish surname that has several derivations. It's most likely of Anglo-Norman origin, as this type of surname is found in Ireland since the earliest Norman settlement there, in 1169. The surname could have derived from a number of different sources, including Old French, Middle English, and even Middle Irish.
Possible sources include the Old French 'fauns' or 'faunce' meaning 'fox'; the Middle English 'faunt' or 'faunte' meaning 'odd, strange, unusual'; or the Middle Irish 'faince' meaning 'observant, watchful'.
The occurrences of the name often changed to suit regional dialects and languages, leading to further variants such as Faunce, Fanz, Faunz, and Fauntz, and the spelling variations such as Fauntce, Fancey, Faunse, Faus, Fince, Phance, Phauntce, Phancy, and Fancell.
The Fance family are said to have first lived in either Devon or Cornwall in England, before some members of the family moved to Ireland in the 12th century. The name has been carried by numerous families across history since then and is still found in parts of the UK, Ireland, Canada, and the USA today.
Famous people with the name Fance
- Peter Fance: English slang aficionado and author of the book 'For King & Grocer'.
- Ambrose Fance: British actor best known for his roles in the BBC series 'Silent Witness'.
- Sarah Fance: English footballer who plays for Manchester City Women.
- Connor Fance: American professional baseball player.
- Jim Fance: Former Major League Baseball pitcher for multiple teams.
- Cedric Fance: French film and television actor.
- Constantin Fance: Romanian-German author whose works often explore the Holocaust.
- Ben Fance: American actor and producer, known for his roles in 'The Dark Knight' and 'The Hangover Part II'.
- Charles Fance: British poet and journalist.
- Dominique Fance: French fashion designer and the creative director of the brand Dior.