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

Forgey, 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 Forgey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Forgey in America

Forgey is the 18486th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Forgey surname appeared 1,495 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 Forgey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Forgey 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 Forgey

The surname Forgey is believed to have originated in the Scottish Highlands, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic word "fòrach," which means "wandering" or "straying." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who had a tendency to wander or was perhaps a traveler.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Forgey can be found in the Parish Records of Ayrshire, Scotland, from the year 1587. The name appears as "Fergus Forgey," indicating a possible connection to the Scottish Gaelic name Fergus.

In the late 17th century, the Forgey name began to spread across the British Isles, with records showing individuals bearing the surname in various parts of England and Ireland. One notable example is John Forgey, a merchant from Belfast, Ireland, who was born in 1673 and was involved in the linen trade.

As the Forgey family expanded, they established roots in various parts of the world. In the 18th century, several Forgeys emigrated to the American colonies, seeking new opportunities. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of William Forgey, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1738.

Another notable figure from this period is Robert Forgey, a Scottish-born soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. Born in 1755 in Edinburgh, he joined the Continental Army and served under General George Washington, earning recognition for his bravery in battle.

In the 19th century, the Forgey name continued to spread across the United States and other parts of the world. One prominent individual was James Forgey, an Irish-born engineer and architect who was born in 1829. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in New York City, including the original Madison Square Garden.

Another noteworthy Forgey was Mary Forgey, a Canadian author and poet who was born in 1876 in Ontario. She gained recognition for her works depicting rural life in Canada and was a prominent figure in the country's literary scene in the early 20th century.

The name Forgey has also been associated with various place names throughout history. For example, Forgey's Cove in Newfoundland, Canada, was named after an early settler with the surname Forgey who lived in the area in the 18th century.

While the origins of the Forgey surname can be traced back to Scotland, it has since become a global name, with individuals bearing the surname found in various parts of the world, each with their own unique stories and contributions to their respective communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Forgey

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

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

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

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