The Fortner surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,951 people carried this name — #3,001 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 24,700 people counted. That is up 7% from 11,209 in 2000.

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In print

Fortner in American newspapers,
1887.

Newspaper page from The United Opinion carrying the name Fortner
The United Opinion 1887-02-18
Newspaper page from The Dillon Tribune carrying the name Fortner
The Dillon Tribune 1887-02-18
Newspaper page from The Dillon Tribune carrying the name Fortner
The Dillon Tribune 1887-02-25

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 24,256 pages in all carry the name.

Who carried it

People named Fortner,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Franz Xaver Fortner
    Franz Xaver Fortner 1798–1877
  • Andreas Fortner
    Andreas Fortner 1809–1862 · jeweler
  • Ivan Fortner d. 1836 · Catholic priest
  • Daniel Fortner 1670–1760
  • Benjamin Fortner 1723–1795
  • Mary Fortner 1756–1799

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Fortner,
in the records of 5 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States679 records

679 records of the Fortner name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 440
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 167
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 21
  • New York State death index (outside NYC), 1957–2001 21
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 16
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 7
  • U.S. service members who died in the Korean War 3
  • U.S. service members who died in the Vietnam War 3
  • Irish Famine arrivals at New York, 1846–1851 1
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Thomas L. Fortner

    Born 1920 in Indiana. Enlisted 1941 at Fort Benjamin Harrison; farm hand from Knox County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1998, buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Vincennes, Indiana.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Margareth Fortner

    Arrived at New York in 1837 aboard the Hilah from Havre, aged 37; laborer. From France; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Frederick John Fortner

    Born 1943; from Pomona, California. U.S. Navy, pilot; declared dead 1967 in North Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 679 records for Fortner in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Germany43 records

43 records of the Fortner name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 39
  • German emigration and citizenship files 3
  • German applications to settle and marry 1
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Georg Förtner

    From Nürnberg, Mittelfr. Reported dead in the Bavarian casualty list of 30 May 1916 (Infantry Regiment No. 9).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Friedrich Förtner

    Left Obersteinach for the United States in 1836.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Staatsarchiv Bamberg (CC0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Martha Förtner

    Named in an application to settle and marry at Kolmsdorf in 1856.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Staatsarchiv Bamberg (CC0)

Showing 3 of 43 records for Fortner in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Canada4 records

4 records of the Fortner name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 2
  • City of Niagara Falls (Ontario) cemetery records 2
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Jonas Fortner

    Buried in 1854 at Drummond Hill Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

    City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls.
  2. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record James Alcliffe Deane Fortner

    Died in service in 1941.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Gertrude Fortner

    Buried in 1968 at Fairview Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

    City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls.

Showing 3 of 4 records for Fortner in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

France1 record

1 record of the Fortner name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Ludwig Fortner

    Born 1908 in Germany; died 1990 in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Fortner name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Christine Marie Franziska Fortner

    Married in 1924 in Amsterdam.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Fortner.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Fortner is.
A volume says what happened to it.

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