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

Forbush, 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 Forbush surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Forbush in America

Forbush is the 16734th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Forbush surname appeared 1,709 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Forbush.

We can also compare 2010 data for Forbush 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 Forbush

The surname Forbush is of English origin, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "for" meaning "opposite" and "busc" meaning "bush" or "thicket". This suggests that the name was likely derived from a topographical feature, referring to someone who lived near or on the opposite side of a bush or wooded area.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Forrebusc" and "Fordebusc". These variations indicate that the name was subject to various spellings and pronunciations during its early development.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Forbush, who was documented in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195. This record provides evidence of the name's presence in England during the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name was associated with the village of Fawbush in Somerset, which was recorded as "Forrebusch" in the Assize Rolls of 1256. This suggests a connection between the surname and a specific geographical location, further reinforcing its topographical origins.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the Forbush surname. One such person was John Forbush, a prominent Puritan who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the early 17th century. Born in 1590 in England, he played a significant role in the establishment of the town of Marlborough, Massachusetts.

Another prominent figure was Elihu Burritt Forbush, an American ornithologist and author born in 1856. He made significant contributions to the study of birds and published several books, including "The Birds of Massachusetts and Other New England States" in 1925.

In the 19th century, Reverend James Forbush, born in 1816 in England, was a respected clergyman and author. He published several religious works, including "The Shillitoe Testimonies" in 1869, which documented the experiences of early Quaker missionaries.

Additionally, Edward Howe Forbush, an American ornithologist and conservationist born in 1858, played a crucial role in the protection of birds and the establishment of various wildlife sanctuaries in Massachusetts.

The Forbush surname has also been associated with several place names, such as Forbush Creek in North Carolina and Forbush Corner in Maine, further highlighting the geographical connections of this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Forbush

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

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 Forbush 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 Forbush 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 Forbush was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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