FOSTER
The surname Foster is principally of English origin and belongs to the class of surnames that developed during the medieval period in the British Isles. It is recorded in the language of England and is traditionally associated with the Christian faith of its bearers.
One of the earliest explanations links the name to the Middle English verb foster, meaning “to nourish” or “to rear”. In this sense the name functioned as an occupational nickname for a person who acted as a foster‑parent or caretaker of children, or, less commonly, for a child who had been fostered by another family. This derivation underlines the association of the surname with notions of nurturing and care.
Another strand of analysis regards Foster as a locational name. In certain dialects the term forster denoted a forest or a wooded area, and the surname could therefore have indicated a person who dwelt near such a landscape. This interpretation connects the name with the natural environment of England’s forested regions.
Scholarly research also identifies at least three further occupational origins. Firstly, the name may derive from the Old French fustier, itself stemming from fustre – a block of wood – and would have denoted a maker of saddle trees, a trade of considerable importance in the centuries following the Norman Conquest of 1066. Secondly, it could refer to a maker or user of the “forcetier”, a type of steel shears employed in agricultural and textile production. Thirdly, Foster may represent a contracted or dialectal spelling of Forester, a civil officer responsible for the management of royal forests; the earliest recorded instance of this form is John Forester in the 1183 Pipe Rolls of Surrey.
A less common etymology traces the name to the Old English compound cild‑fostre, literally “child‑foster”, which would have functioned as an occupational nickname for a foster‑parent or possibly a foster child. An example of this usage is John Foster, recorded in the 1373 Court Roll of Colchester, Essex.
The surname appears in early documentary sources. The earliest known spelling is Durand le Fuster, dated c. 1179 in the Register of St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, during the reign of King Henry II. By the fourteenth century the name was firmly established in England, and it was among the first English surnames to be carried to the New England colonies of America, as exemplified by the record of a John Foster “alive in Virginea” on 18 February 1623.
In summary, the surname Foster encapsulates a range of meanings – from nurturing caretaker to forest‑dweller, from woodcraft specialist to forest official – reflecting the diverse occupational and locational contexts of medieval England. Its continued prevalence underscores the enduring legacy of these early English naming practices.
Typical given names associated with the Foster surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Joanne
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Forster
- Foister
- Foerster
- Forester
- Fister
- Fester
- Faster
- Feaster
- Fewster
- Fogster
- Foester
- Foste
- Fauster
- Festor
- Feuster
- Forister
- Forrester
- Foser
- Fosler
- Fosster
- Fost
- Fosta
- Fosterd
- Fostering
- Fosterjohn
- Fosterr
- Fosters
- Fostervold
- Fosteryork
- Fosther
- Fostier
- Fostor
- Fostr
- Fouster
- Foxter
- Foyster
- Fozdar
- Fuister
- Fuster
- Fustier
- Phister
- Vester
- Vestri
- Vistro
- Vistuer
- Voster
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Foster in...
Braille
⠋⠕⠎⠞⠑⠗
Morse
..-.---...-..-.
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Foster are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a White chocolate chip cookie.
There are approximately 76,936 people named Foster in the UK. That makes it the 79th most common surname in Britain. Around 1,181 in a million people in Britain are named Foster.
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 Foster
- Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank - Architect
- Jodie Foster - American actor, film director and producer
- David Foster - Canadian musician, record producer, songwriter
- Katharine Hope McPhee Foster - American pop singer, songwriter, and actress
- Ben Foster - American actor
- Julia Foster - Actress
- Richard Foster - Scottish football player
- Sutton Foster - American actress
- Ben Foster - Football player
- Barry Foster - Film and television actor (1927 to 2002)
- Mark Foster - Swimmer, Olympic athlete, world champion, former world record-holder
- Danny Foster - Singer
- Kevin Foster - Conservative Party politician, MP for Torbay since 2015
- Brendan Foster - Athletics competitor, long distance runner
- Harry Hylton-Foster - Politician (1905 to 1965)
- David Foster - Business Executive (1920 to 2010)
- Toby Foster - Comedian, actor, and producer
- Dawn Foster - Journalist, broadcaster and author
- Ian Foster - Football player
- Neil Foster - Test and County cricketer
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.