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

Forsythe, 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 Forsythe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Forsythe in America

Forsythe is the 3147th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Forsythe surname appeared 11,489 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Forsythe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Forsythe 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 Forsythe

The surname Forsythe originated in Scotland, deriving from the Old English words "fors" meaning a waterfall or stream and "sithe" meaning a path or side. It was likely first used to describe someone living near a waterfall or stream path. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was found in the 13th century in the region of Forfarshire, now known as Angus, Scotland.

In the 16th century, the name Forsythe was recorded in the Parish Registers of Inverkeillor, Angus, Scotland. The name appeared as Forsyth, Forsythe, and Forsaith. During this time, the name was also found in the Fife region of Scotland, particularly in the parishes of Dysart and Markinch.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was John Forsyth, who was born in Scotland around 1450. He was a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Montrose, Angus.

In the 17th century, the name Forsythe was found in various historical records, including the Hearth Tax Rolls of Stirlingshire and the Parish Registers of Alloa, Clackmannanshire. The name was also recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror.

A notable figure with the surname was William Forsyth (1737-1804), a Scottish botanist and co-founder of the Royal Horticultural Society. He made significant contributions to the study of plant diseases and the cultivation of fruit trees.

Another prominent individual was John Forsyth (1780-1841), an American statesman and diplomat. He served as the 13th United States Secretary of State from 1834 to 1841 under Presidents Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren.

In the 19th century, the name Forsythe was found in various parts of the United States, particularly in areas with Scottish immigration. James Forsyth (1818-1898) was a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons.

Other notable individuals with the surname include Robert Forsyth (1766-1846), a British army officer and colonial administrator in India, and James W. Forsyth (1836-1906), an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Representative from Illinois.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Forsythe

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

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

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

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