FORSTER
Forster is a surname of both English and Scottish origin, belonging primarily to the medieval period of the British Isles. It is classed as an occupational name, traditionally used to describe individuals who performed a specific role in society or local industry.
The earliest form of the name is linked to the Middle English word foster, meaning a foster parent or a child raised by someone other than the natural parents. Those who served as foster parents or were themselves child‑runners were often designated by this appellation. Over time the designation became hereditary, forming the common family name Forster.
Another medieval origin of the surname is derived from the Old French term fustrier, which itself refers to a craftsman who produced wooden saddle trees from a fustre, a foreshortened piece of timber. Alternative derivation comes from forcetier, from forcettes, a maker of chisels or shears. Both origins reflect skilled industrial occupations and indicate that the family name was initially applied to men engaged in such trades.
Despite its very specific occupational beginnings, the carrier families of the Forster name did not remain confined to those trades. The name is recorded in Northumberland within the Baronetcy of the Forsters of Bamborough Castle. Sir John Forster, living between 1502 and 1560, served as Warden of the Marches and Sheriff of Northumberland. The family’s reach extended beyond England, as the first definitive record of the name appears in the “Assize Court Rolls of Cambridgeshire” in 1315, during the reign of King Edward I, commonly known as Edward of Caernarfon. In 1341 the name was noted in the case of William le Forster of Lincoln, and the 16th‑century physician, Richard Forster, served as President of the College of Physicians.
A well‑documented member of the name in the early modern period is Josiah Forster, who departed on the ship Truelove bound for the Carolinas on 10 June 1635. His son, Thomas Forster, later became a member of the Governing Council of the West Indies in 1673. The Forsters of the Old Pretender’s army included Thomas Forster, General, whose surrender at Preston in 1716 led to an escape to France where dispute over the name continued. These examples illustrate the dispersal of the Forster name into the Atlantic world during the early 17th and 18th centuries.
Variations of the spelling and pronunciation of Forster continue to surface through history, yet its origin remains firmly rooted in an association with caregiving, skilled craftsmanship, and medieval occupation. The surname is now found worldwide, representing a broad lineage that has passed through many generations while maintaining its distinct etymological heritage.
Typical given names associated with the Forster surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
- Thomas
Female
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Foster
- Forrester
- Ferster
- Farster
- Feroster
- Fauster
- Froster
- Forste
- Firster
- Foerster
- Foister
- Forest
- Foresta
- Foreste
- Forester
- Forestier
- Forestiero
- Forestor
- Forister
- Forresters
- Forrestor
- Forrister
- Forser
- Forset
- Forseth
- Forseyth
- Forst
- Forstad
- Forsten
- Forsters
- Forstner
- Forstor
- Forstuer
- Forter
- Fraster
- Furste
- Verster
- Vorster
- Forbester
- Forbister
- Forestal
- Forsett
- Forsler
- Forstater
- Forsterling
- Forsyeth
- Forsythe
- Fortier
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Forster in...
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There are approximately 17,370 people named Forster in the UK. That makes it the 508th most common surname in Britain. Around 267 in a million people in Britain are named Forster.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Forster
- E. M. Forster - Novelist (1879 to 1970)
- Fraser Forster - Football player
- Robert Forster - American actor (1941 to 2019)
- Ben Forster - Actor
- Margaret Forster - Writer (1938 to 2016)
- Charles Farrar Forster - Anglican priest (1848 to 1894)
- Jake Forster-Caskey - Football player
- Peter Forster - Actor (1920 to 1982)
- Jackie Forster - Television presenter and lesbian rights activist (1926 to 1998)
- Nicky Forster - Football player
- Henry Forster, 1st Baron Forster - Cricketer (1866 to 1936)
- Peter Forster - Bishop of Chester
- Jordon Forster - Scottish football player
- John Forster - Biographer and critic (1812 to 1876)
- Roger T. Forster - Theologian
- William Edward Forster - Politician (1818 to 1886)
- Mark Forster - Writer
- Derek Forster - Football player
- Norvela Forster - Politician (1931 to 1993)
- Martin Onslow Forster - Chemist (1872 to 1945)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.