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Forsythe Family History

Forsythe Surname Meaning

Scottish: from an Anglicized form of the Gaelic personal name Fearsithe composed of the elements fear ‘man’ + sith ‘peace’. Some early forms with the prepositions as for example William de Fersith (Edinburgh 1365) seem to point to an alternative origin as a habitational name but no placename of suitable form is known.

The spelling Forsythe is associated chiefly with northern Ireland.

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


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Where is the Forsythe family from?

You can see how Forsythe families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Forsythe family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Forsythe families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 59 Forsythe families living in Lancashire. This was about 22% of all the recorded Forsythe's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Forsythe families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Forsythe 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 Forsythe 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 Forsythe. 28% of Forsythe men worked as a General Labourer and 83% of Forsythe women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Forsythe were Universal Miller and Retired.

View Census Data for Forsythe | 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
    28%
  • Foreman Gardener
    19%
  • Dock Labourer
    19%
  • Universal Miller
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    83%
  • Private Means
    7%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Retired
    3%

What Forsythe family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 62,000 census records available for the last name Forsythe. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Forsythe census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Forsythe

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Forsythe. 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 Forsythe immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Forsythe. For the veterans among your Forsythe ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Forsythe military records

You've only scratched the surface of Forsythe family history

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What is the average Forsythe lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Forsythe life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Forsythe in 1944 was 31, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Forsythe

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Forsythe 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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