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Forrester Family History

Forrester Surname Meaning

English: occupational name from Middle English forester ‘officer in charge of a forest or lord's hunting ground’.

(Old French forestier Anglo-Norman forester).

See Forrest.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Forrester family from?

You can see how Forrester families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Forrester family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Forrester families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 748 Forrester families living in Staffordshire. This was about 27% of all the recorded Forrester's in United Kingdom. Staffordshire had the highest population of Forrester families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Forrester surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Forrester ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Forrester. 12% of Forrester men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Forrester women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Forrester were Bricklayer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Forrester | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    12%
  • Farmer
    7%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Bricklayer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Forrester family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 108,000 census records available for the last name Forrester. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Forrester census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Forrester

Passenger Lists

There are 21,000 immigration records available for the last name Forrester. 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 Forrester immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Forrester. For the veterans among your Forrester ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Forrester military records

You've only scratched the surface of Forrester family history

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What is the average Forrester lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Forrester life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Forrester in 1942 was 29, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Forrester

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Forrester 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Forrester family tree

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