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Forward Family History

Forward Surname Meaning

English: perhaps from Middle English for(e)ward forthward ‘agreement contract pledge’. It might have been given to someone who negotiated agreements or who acted as a pledge for another person.

Perhaps sometimes a metathesized form of Middle English froward fraward ‘contrary unruly willful perverse’. Alternatively, this may be a nickname from Middle English for(e)ward ‘forward advanced’.

It is not until the 16th century that the word is recorded meaning ‘ready eager precocious presumptuous’ but perhaps it already had some of these senses in Middle English.

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


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Where is the Forward family from?

You can see how Forward families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Forward family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Forward families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 219 Forward families living in London. This was about 23% of all the recorded Forward's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Forward families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Forward 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 Forward ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Dairy Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Forward. 10% of Forward men worked as a Dairy Farmer and 76% of Forward women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Forward were Carpenter and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Forward | 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

  • Dairy Farmer
    10%
  • House Decorator
    5%
  • Carpenter joiner
    5%
  • Carpenter
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Forward family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 32,000 census records available for the last name Forward. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Forward census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Forward

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Forward. 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 Forward immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 14,000 military records available for the last name Forward. For the veterans among your Forward ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Forward military records

You've only scratched the surface of Forward family history

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What is the average Forward lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Forward life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Forward in 1951 was 43, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Forward

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Forward 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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