Forster Family History

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Forster Name Meaning

English: occupational and topographic name for someone who lived or worked in a forest (see Forrest). English: Norman French nickname or occupational name from Old French forcetier ‘cutter’, an agent noun from forcettes ‘scissors’. English: occupational name, by metathesis, from Old French fust(r)ier ‘blockmaker’ (a derivative of fustre ‘block of wood’). German (Förster): occupational and topographic name for someone who lived and worked in a forest (see Forst). Jewish (Ashkenazic): ornamental name from German Forst ‘forest’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Porter, Oster, Forestier, Foster, Forst, Fenster, Doster, Forsey

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Forster Family Origin

Where is the Forster family from?

Location
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1840
    1920
    You can see how Forster families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Forster family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Forster families were found in the UK in 1891. In 1840 there were 27 Forster families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 41% of all the recorded Forster's in the USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Forster families in 1840.
    Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Forster surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

    View Census Data for Forster

    Forster Family Occupations

    What did your Forster ancestors do for a living?

    In 1880, Farmer, Laborer and Keeping House were the top 3 reported jobs worked by Forster. The most common Forster occupation in the USA was Farmer. 24% of Forster's were Farmers. A less common occupation for the Forster family was Carpenter.

    View Census data for Forster | Data not to scale

    • Farmer

      24%

    • Laborer

      8%

    • Keeping House

      4%

    • Carpenter

      3%

    Census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your Forster ancestors, such as occupation. Occupation can tell you about your ancestor's social and economic status.

    Forster Historical Records

    What Forster family records will you find?

    Census Record

    There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Forster. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Forster census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

    Search 1940's US census records for Forster

    Passenger List

    There are 642 immigration records available for the last name Forster. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

    View all Forster immigration records

    Draft Card

    There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Forster. For the veterans among your Forster ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

    View all Forster military records

    You've only scratched the surface of Forster family history.

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    Forster Life Expectancy

    What is the average Forster lifespan?

    Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Forster life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Forster in 1945 was 63, and 77 in 2004.

    View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Forster

    An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Forster ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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