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Forge Family History

Forge Surname Meaning

English and French: from Middle English and Old French forge ‘forge smithy’ (from Latin fabrica ‘workshop’ a derivative of faber ‘smith workman’; compare Lefevre) in most cases a metonymic occupational name for a smith or someone employed by a smith.

It can also be a topographic name for someone who lived near a forge or smithy.

Compare French Deforge and Laforge.

North German: variant of Forke.

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 Forge family from?

You can see how Forge families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Forge family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Forge families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 75 Forge families living in London. This was about 25% of all the recorded Forge's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Forge families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Forge 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 Forge ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Forge. 20% of Forge men worked as a Builders Labourer and 75% of Forge women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Forge were Incapacitated and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Forge | 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

  • Builders Labourer
    20%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    20%
  • Schoolmaster
    20%
  • Incapacitated
    20%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    3%

What Forge family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Forge. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Forge census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Forge

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Forge. 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 Forge immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Forge. For the veterans among your Forge ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Forge military records

You've only scratched the surface of Forge family history

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What is the average Forge lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Forge life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1978. The average life expectancy for Forge in 1958 was 44, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Forge

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Forge 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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