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

Forty, 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 Forty surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Forty in America

Forty is the 66553rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Forty surname appeared 297 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 Forty.

We can also compare 2010 data for Forty 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 Forty

The surname Forty is of English origin and is believed to have emerged during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is likely derived from the Old English word "feortig," which means "forty," suggesting it may have been an occupational surname for someone who collected or paid a tax or fee of forty pence or shillings.

Alternatively, the name could have originated as a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near a place or landmark associated with the number forty, such as a milestone or a boundary marker. In some cases, it may have been a descriptive surname given to someone who lived at or near the fortieth house or property in a particular area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Forty can be found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1272, where a person named William Forty is mentioned. Another early reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, which lists a John Forty.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Forty appeared in various historical records and documents, such as parish registers and court records. Notable individuals with this surname include:

1. John Forty (c. 1570-1642), an English clergyman and author of religious works.
2. William Forty (c. 1600-1670), a merchant and landowner from Somerset, England.
3. Elizabeth Forty (b. 1632), who is recorded in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Warwick, England.
4. Thomas Forty (1686-1758), a farmer and landowner from Gloucestershire, England.
5. Mary Forty (1745-1821), a philanthropist and benefactor from Oxfordshire, England, who bequeathed a significant sum to support local charities and schools.

While the surname Forty is relatively uncommon, it has persisted throughout England and other parts of the British Isles over the centuries. Some variations in spelling, such as Fortye or Fortie, have also been documented in historical records.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Forty

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

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

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

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