Fontana is a city in south central Miami County, Kansas, United States. The population was 149 at the 2000 census, and had increased to 217 by 2008.. The name Fontana comes from the French word fontaine, meaning fountain or a spring-like water source. It was given to the small city because it was known as a place with good, clear drinking water. Fontana's history as a community dates back to the early 1800s, however incorporation did not occur until 1889..