2000
#6,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,006
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.86
Rare Last name
Forest
An English topographic surname for someone who lived near or worked in a royal forest.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,575 Americans carry the last name Forest. That puts it at #6,676 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.63 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 61,481 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Forest 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Forest with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.6K
1 in 61,481
Census rank
#6,676
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,862 bearers of the surname Forest in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.63 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6676th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Forest, the largest self-reported group is White at 61.6%. The next largest groups are Black (28.7%) and Hispanic (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Forest
The surname FOREST originates in England and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "forest," meaning "wooded area," reflecting a connection to someone who lived near or worked in a forest.
In medieval times, surnames were often derived from a person's occupation or a distinguishing characteristic of their residence. The surname FOREST likely referred to individuals who lived in or near a forest or worked as foresters, responsible for managing and protecting woodlands.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the FOREST surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1185, where it is listed as "Ricardus de Foresta." This Latin form translates to "Richard of the Forest," indicating that the surname was used to identify someone's association with a forested area.
Another early reference to the FOREST surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a "Rogerus de la Forest." This example demonstrates the use of the French preposition "de la" before the surname, indicating "of the Forest."
In the 14th century, the FOREST surname appeared in various forms, such as "Forester" and "Forster," reflecting the evolving spellings of the name over time. Notable individuals from this period include John Forster (c. 1350-1438), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament.
During the Tudor period, the FOREST surname continued to be recorded in various spellings, including "Fforyster" and "Fforster." One notable figure from this era was Sir John Fortescue (c. 1531-1607), an English jurist and author who wrote extensively on legal matters.
In the 17th century, the FOREST surname was further solidified in its modern spelling. John Forest (1638-1712), an English engraver and cartographer, was a notable bearer of the name during this period.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the FOREST surname was well-established in various parts of England. Notable individuals included Sir Benjamine Forest (1762-1838), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War, and Charles Forrest (1825-1911), an English cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire.
While the FOREST surname has its origins in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns of English settlers and immigrants over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Forest
Among Census respondents with the surname Forest, the largest self-reported group is White at 61.6%. The next largest groups are Black (28.7%) and Hispanic (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Forest 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 Forest surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White61.6% · 2,993
- Black or African American28.7% · 1,393
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 219
- Two or more races3.8% · 186
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 51
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 20
Timeline
Historical Census data for Forest
Forest 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
#6,661
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,076
+70 bearers (+1.4%)
Per 100,000 1.72
Rank movement Down 391 places
2020
#6,676
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,862
-214 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 1.63
Rank movement Down 15 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,270 | 5,006 | 1.86 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,661 | 5,076 | 1.72 | +70 bearers (+1.4%) | Down 391 places |
| 2020 | #6,676 | 4,862 | 1.63 | -214 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 15 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 Forest 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 | #6,661 | #6,676 | -0.2% |
| Count | 5,076 | 4,862 | -4.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.72 | 1.63 | -5.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Forest bearers went from 5,076 to 4,862 (-4.2% change). The surname moved down 15 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,661 to #6,676.
FAQ
Forest surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Forest?
Name Census estimates that about 5,575 living Americans carry the surname Forest. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 61,481 residents.
How common is Forest?
Forest ranks #6,676 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.63 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,862 people with the surname Forest. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,575), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.63 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.63 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Forest.
Has Forest become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Forest went from 5,076 recorded bearers to 4,862. That is a decrease of 214 (-4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,661 to #6,676.
What does the Census say about the background of Forest?
Among Census respondents with the surname Forest, the largest self-reported group is White at 61.6%. The next largest groups are Black (28.7%) and Hispanic (4.5%). 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 Forest in the 2020 Census, accounting for 61.6% (2,993 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Forest appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (61.6%), Black (28.7%), Hispanic (4.5%). 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 Forest (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 Forest mean?
An English topographic surname for someone who lived near or worked in a royal forest. 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 Forest (1.63 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 many people are called Forest?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Forest? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.