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

Forrester, 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 Forrester surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Forrester in America

Forrester is the 2596th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Forrester surname appeared 13,878 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Forrester.

We can also compare 2010 data for Forrester 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 Forrester

The surname Forrester is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "foresta," which means "forester" or "keeper of the forest." The name first emerged in the Middle Ages, around the 12th and 13th centuries, when the concept of royal forests and the occupation of forester became prevalent.

The name is believed to have originated in areas of England with large forests, such as the counties of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Yorkshire. It was initially an occupational surname given to individuals whose profession was to guard and maintain the forests, often for the king or a nobleman.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Forrester can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records from the reign of King Edward I. The name appears as "le Forester," indicating its occupational origin.

In the 14th century, the Forrester family held lands in Northumberland, and a prominent member, Sir John Forrester, was recorded as serving in the Scottish Wars under King Edward III. Sir John's son, also named John Forrester, was born around 1350 and held the position of Warden of the Middle Marches, a crucial role in guarding the English-Scottish border.

Another notable figure from history was Sir Andrew Forrester, who was born in Scotland in the 15th century and served as a diplomat and ambassador for King James IV of Scotland. He played a significant role in negotiating the Treaty of Ayton in 1497, which temporarily resolved conflicts between England and Scotland.

In the 16th century, the Forrester family established themselves in Corstorphine, near Edinburgh, Scotland. One of the most famous members of this branch was Andrew Forrester (1535-1616), who became a prominent lawyer and served as Lord Justice Clerk of Scotland from 1598 until his death.

The name Forrester has also been associated with several place names, such as Forrester's Village in Pennsylvania, United States, and Forrester Hill in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, possibly named after early settlers bearing the surname.

Over the centuries, the surname Forrester has seen various spellings, including Forester, Forrister, and Forster, reflecting regional variations and changes in spelling conventions. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, tracing back to the occupation of guarding and maintaining forests.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Forrester

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

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

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

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