2000
#13,980
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,981
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.73
Rare Last name
Forbis
Derived from the Old French word "fors" or "forz," meaning "strong" or "vigorous."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,165 Americans carry the last name Forbis. That puts it at #15,020 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.63 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 158,316 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Forbis surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.2K
1 in 158,316
Census rank
#15,020
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,888 bearers of the surname Forbis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.63 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15020th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Forbis, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Forbis
The surname FORBIS is believed to have originated in Scotland, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is thought to be a variant of the name Forbes, which itself is derived from the Gaelic term "for-bash," meaning "field" or "territory." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived or worked on a particular piece of land.
The earliest recorded instances of the name FORBIS can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries in various Scottish documents and records. One notable example is the appearance of a William Forbus in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1369. Additionally, the name has been found in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls from the late 13th century, which recorded the names of Scottish nobles who swore fealty to King Edward I of England.
Throughout history, several individuals bearing the surname FORBIS have made their mark in various fields. One notable figure was Sir John Forbis (1592-1662), a Scottish soldier and landowner who fought for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. Another was William Forbis (1634-1685), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the principal of the University of Glasgow.
In the realm of literature, the name FORBIS is associated with the Scottish author and poet, John Forbis (1784-1861), whose works explored themes of Scottish culture and history. Additionally, the name has been linked to the Forbis family of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, a prominent clan with a long history in the region.
Other notable individuals with the surname FORBIS include:
1. Robert Forbis (1670-1734), a Scottish merchant and member of the British East India Company.
2. James Forbis (1712-1778), a Scottish minister and educator who served as the rector of the Royal High School in Edinburgh.
3. Elizabeth Forbis (1781-1847), a Scottish philanthropist and advocate for education and women's rights.
4. Alexander Forbis (1815-1892), a Scottish-born Australian explorer and surveyor who played a significant role in mapping the Australian outback.
5. Margaret Forbis (1888-1962), a Scottish-American author and journalist known for her works on Scottish heritage and culture.
While the surname FORBIS may not be as widely recognized as some other Scottish names, its history and connections to various notable figures highlight its enduring legacy and significance within Scottish heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Forbis
Among Census respondents with the surname Forbis, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Forbis bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Forbis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.1% · 1,682
- Two or more races3.5% · 66
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 51
- Black or African American2.3% · 43
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 33
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Forbis
Forbis appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#14,591
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,040
+59 bearers (+3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.69
Rank movement Down 611 places
2020
#15,020
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,888
-152 bearers (-7.5%)
Per 100,000 0.63
Rank movement Down 429 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,980 | 1,981 | 0.73 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,591 | 2,040 | 0.69 | +59 bearers (+3.0%) | Down 611 places |
| 2020 | #15,020 | 1,888 | 0.63 | -152 bearers (-7.5%) | Down 429 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Forbis surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,591 | #15,020 | -2.9% |
| Count | 2,040 | 1,888 | -7.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.69 | 0.63 | -8.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Forbis bearers went from 2,040 to 1,888 (-7.5% change). The surname moved down 429 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,591 to #15,020.
FAQ
Forbis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Forbis?
Name Census estimates that about 2,165 living Americans carry the surname Forbis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 158,316 residents.
How common is Forbis?
Forbis ranks #15,020 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.63 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,888 people with the surname Forbis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,165), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.63 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.63 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Forbis.
Has Forbis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Forbis went from 2,040 recorded bearers to 1,888. That is a decrease of 152 (-7.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,591 to #15,020.
What does the Census say about the background of Forbis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Forbis, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Forbis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.1% (1,682 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Forbis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.1%), Two or More Races (3.5%), Hispanic (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Forbis (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Forbis mean?
Derived from the Old French word "fors" or "forz," meaning "strong" or "vigorous." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Forbis (0.63 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Forbis?
Want to know how many people have the last name Forbis? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.