This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Forst family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Forst Family History

Forst Surname Meaning

German: topographic name for someone who lived in or near a royal forest or an occupational name for someone who worked in one from Middle High German forst ‘forest’. This surname is also found in Czechia, Poland, and France (Alsace).

German (Först): see Foerst.

English: metathesized form of Frost.

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


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Forst family from?

You can see how Forst families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Forst family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Forst families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 64 Forst families living in London. This was about 19% of all the recorded Forst's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Forst families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Forst surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Forst 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 Forst. 100% of Forst men worked as a Builders Labourer and 85% of Forst women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Forst | 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
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    85%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%

What Forst family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 15,000 census records available for the last name Forst. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Forst census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Forst

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Forst. 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 Forst immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Forst. For the veterans among your Forst ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Forst military records

You've only scratched the surface of Forst family history

Discover More

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Forst family tree

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