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

Forey, 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 Forey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Forey in America

Forey is the 82613th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Forey surname appeared 228 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 Forey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Forey 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 Forey

The surname Forey is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "fore" and "hege," which together mean "dweller before the enclosure." This suggests that the name initially referred to someone who lived near the front fence or hedge of a particular village or estate.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Foriet." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Forrey, Forry, and Forey. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistent nature of record-keeping during that time.

In the 13th century, a prominent member of the Forey family was Sir John Forey (1235-1301), a knight who fought in the Crusades and was known for his bravery on the battlefield. He is mentioned in several historical chronicles of the period.

Another notable figure was Richard Forey (1458-1521), a merchant and landowner from Somerset, England. Records indicate that he owned substantial properties in the region and was influential in local affairs.

During the Tudor period, the name appeared in various parish records and legal documents. For instance, Thomas Forey (1520-1588) was a yeoman farmer from Warwickshire, whose name is documented in the Stratford-upon-Avon parish registers.

In the 17th century, the name Forey was associated with several prominent individuals, such as Captain William Forey (1605-1677), a naval officer who served in the English Civil War and is mentioned in naval records of the time.

Another noteworthy individual was Reverend John Forey (1638-1712), an Anglican clergyman and scholar who served as the vicar of St. Mary's Church in Nottinghamshire. His sermons and writings were widely circulated during his lifetime.

The name Forey has also been linked to several place names in England, such as Forey's Green in Oxfordshire and Forey's Farm in Gloucestershire. These place names likely originated from individuals or families bearing the Forey surname who owned land or resided in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Forey

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

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

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

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