Four centuries of family history and genealogy.
Explore descendants of Jellis Douw Fonda (1615-1659), who came from the Netherlands to America in 1651, and follow the family through people, places, stories and resources.
Jellis Douw Fonda arrived in Fort Orange (now Albany) in 1651, "he was accompanied by his wife, Hester Jans, and three children, a son Douwe, aged about eleven years, and daughters Geertien and Sara, aged about nine and seven years, respectively."
One archive, six ways in
Choose the view that fits what you want to discover: representative individuals, narrative history, named places, military service, research, or the complete family record.
Meet representative individuals selected across four centuries of family branches, occupations, places and historical experience.
Explore People →Stories34 curated storiesRead narrative family history: events, migrations, wars, careers, discoveries and episodes that deserve more than a genealogical record.
Read Stories →Places32 named places & landmarksExplore towns, roads, waterways, buildings and historic sites that preserve the Fonda name and its geographic history.
Explore Places →Military351 service recordsTrace documented military service across five war-era groups, with direct links to related People profiles and Stories where available.
Explore Service →Research & SourcesSources & investigationsReview focused research, source material, methodology, online resources and the searchable bibliography behind the archive.
Explore Research →Full GenealogyComplete family recordSearch or download the complete genealogy in GEDCOM and PDF form, updated quarterly. Current release: July 10, 2026.
Open Genealogy →
Where in the world is the Fonda surname found?
Updated October 6, 2026: compare modern worldwide estimates with the original 2004 directory survey, U.S. state patterns, the Trieste concentration, and evidence for distinct surname lineages.
Which ship carried the Fonda family to America?
Available records narrow the migration to a window between late 1650 and October 1651 and identify two possible ships without surviving passenger lists.