Find out how popular the last name Forbus is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Forbus.

Forbus, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Forbus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Forbus in America

Forbus is the 19242nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Forbus surname appeared 1,409 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Forbus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Forbus to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Forbus

The surname "FORBUS" is believed to have originated in Scotland, likely during the 12th or 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "fjorðr," meaning "firth" or "inlet," and "bus," meaning "dwelling" or "shelter." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a firth or inlet of the sea.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage records from Scottish nobles and landowners swearing fealty to King Edward I of England. The name is spelled "Forbas" in this document, indicating that variations in spelling were common in earlier times.

In the 16th century, records show a family with the surname Forbus residing in the area of Kincardineshire, Scotland. A notable member of this family was John Forbus, born around 1520, who was a respected scholar and theologian. He studied at the University of St. Andrews and later became a minister in the Church of Scotland.

During the 17th century, the name appears in various Scottish records, including parish registers and legal documents. One notable individual from this time was Robert Forbus, born in 1635, who was a prominent merchant and shipowner based in Aberdeen. He was involved in trading ventures across Europe and the Americas.

In the 18th century, the name can be found in several historical documents, including census records and military rolls. One prominent figure was Captain William Forbus, born in 1728, who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. He was involved in several major battles, including the Battle of Monmouth in 1778.

Another notable individual from this period was James Forbus, born in 1755, who was a renowned Scottish architect. He designed several notable buildings, including the Old College in Edinburgh, which is now part of the University of Edinburgh campus.

As the name spread beyond Scotland, it can be found in various other regions, particularly in England and North America, where Scottish immigrants settled. While the spelling may have varied slightly over time, the basic form of "FORBUS" remained recognizable.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Forbus

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Forbus.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Forbus was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Forbus has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Forbus was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Forbus, please contact us.

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