Fote Name Meaning, Origin and Heraldry

Long before computers fixed spellings, Fote and Foote were used side by side. The name is usually explained as “foot, fast runner”. Without the “o” of Foote, Fote is a simpler written form of the same name. Census takers and immigration officers often wrote what they heard. The same family of names includes Foot and Foott.

In the 2010 US Census, 238 Americans gave Fote as their last name (rank 79,846).

Looking for a Fote coat of arms? Arms were granted to families, not to surnames, and our research shows which heraldic tradition fits yours. Want more than a summary? See the Fote family name pack.