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

Forcier, 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 Forcier surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Forcier in America

Forcier is the 13911th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Forcier surname appeared 2,171 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 Forcier.

We can also compare 2010 data for Forcier 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 Forcier

The surname Forcier has its origins in France, dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old French word "forcier," which means "maker of small chests or boxes." The name is thought to have originated in the northern regions of France, particularly in Normandy.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Forcier can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The record mentions a family named Forcier residing in the village of Bayeux, Normandy.

During the Middle Ages, the Forcier name appeared in various historical documents, including tax rolls and church records. One notable example is the mention of a certain Jean Forcier in the records of the city of Rouen, dated around 1350. He is believed to have been a skilled craftsman, specializing in the production of wooden boxes and chests.

The name Forcier has undergone several spelling variations throughout history, including Forciere, Forcière, and Forceir. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors in transcribing the name.

In the 16th century, a prominent member of the Forcier family was Guillaume Forcier (c. 1510-1572), a successful merchant and landowner in the town of Dieppe. He is known for his extensive trade dealings with England and the Netherlands.

Another notable figure was Marie Forcier (1632-1700), a French-born settler in New France (present-day Quebec, Canada). She is recognized as one of the earliest pioneers in the colonization of the region and is celebrated for her resilience and contributions to the settlement of Quebec City.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Forcier name spread across various regions of France, with families settling in towns such as Angers, Lyon, and Marseille. One prominent member was Jacques Forcier (1688-1758), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the Church of Saint-Sulpice.

In the 19th century, Louis Forcier (1812-1891) was a respected French painter known for his landscapes and portrait works. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and had his works exhibited at the prestigious Salon de Paris.

Another notable figure was Émilie Forcier (1855-1928), a French educator and women's rights advocate. She founded several schools for girls in Paris and was actively involved in promoting equal educational opportunities for women during her time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Forcier

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

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

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

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