History of your Surname
Get access to Forbush family records.Start a free trial

Forbush Family History

Forbush Name Meaning

Scottish: altered form of Forbes which was traditionally pronounced as two syllables. This surname is now rare in Britain. Altered form of German Vorbusch a topographic name for someone living on the edge of a wood from vor ‘in front of’ + North German Busch ‘wood bush’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Furbush, Forbus, Forbes, Fawbush, Dornbusch, Brush, Rosebush

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Forbush family from?

You can see how Forbush families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Forbush family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Forbush families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 Forbush family living in London. This was 100% of all the recorded Forbush's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Forbush families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Forbush surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Forbush ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Forbush. 31% of Forbush men worked as a Laborer and 19% of Forbush women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Forbush were Machinist and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Forbush | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    31%
  • Farmer
    19%
  • Salesman
    11%
  • Machinist
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    19%
  • Maid
    19%
  • Teacher
    19%
  • Clerk
    19%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Forbush family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Forbush. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Forbush census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Forbush

Passenger Lists

There are 593 immigration records available for the last name Forbush. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Forbush immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Forbush. For the veterans among your Forbush ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Forbush military records

You've only scratched the surface of Forbush family history

Discover More

What is the average Forbush lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Forbush life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Forbush in 1945 was 42, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Forbush

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Forbush family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Forbush last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial