NameCensus.

UK surname

Foister

A locational surname derived from a place name like Foissac in France.

In the 1881 census there were 75 people recorded with the Foister surname, ranking it #22,893 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 122, ranked #27,255, down from #22,893 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Belgrave, Shirland and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hinckley and Bosworth, South Kesteven and North Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Foister is 138 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.7%.

1881 census count

75

Ranked #22,893

Modern count

122

2016, ranked #27,255

Peak year

2002

138 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Foister had 75 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,893 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016, ranked #27,255.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 120 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Foister surname distribution map

The map shows where the Foister surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Foister surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Foister over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 98 #17,383
1861 historical 98 #21,388
1881 historical 75 #22,893
1891 historical 120 #21,292
1901 historical 110 #21,604
1911 historical 119 #20,535
1997 modern 117 #24,553
1998 modern 124 #24,316
1999 modern 133 #23,487
2000 modern 132 #23,562
2001 modern 130 #23,457
2002 modern 138 #23,094
2003 modern 133 #23,359
2004 modern 128 #24,117
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 120 #25,269
2007 modern 122 #25,353
2008 modern 113 #26,920
2009 modern 117 #26,927
2010 modern 117 #27,557
2011 modern 116 #27,477
2012 modern 118 #27,250
2013 modern 119 #27,541
2014 modern 120 #27,646
2015 modern 122 #27,245
2016 modern 122 #27,255

Geography

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Where Foisters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Belgrave, Shirland, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Scalford and Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hinckley and Bosworth, South Kesteven, North Norfolk, Isle of Wight and Charnwood. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Belgrave Leicestershire
2 Shirland Derbyshire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Scalford Leicestershire
5 Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hinckley and Bosworth 005 Hinckley and Bosworth
2 South Kesteven 005 South Kesteven
3 North Norfolk 003 North Norfolk
4 Isle of Wight 005 Isle of Wight
5 Charnwood 002 Charnwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Foister

These lists show first names that appear often with the Foister surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Foister

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Foister, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Foister surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Foister household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Foister is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Foister is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Foister falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Foister is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Foister, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Foister

The surname FOISTER is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "foster," which referred to someone who was responsible for nurturing or raising a child that was not their own.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the FOISTER surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, which mention a John le Fostre. This suggests that the name was initially used as a descriptive term for someone who worked as a foster parent or caregiver.

In the 15th century, the FOISTER surname appeared in various medieval records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1464, where a Thomas Forster was mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during that time period.

The FOISTER name is also associated with various place names across England, such as Forster's Booths in Westmorland and Forster's Green in Buckinghamshire. These place names may have been derived from individuals bearing the FOISTER surname who lived or worked in those areas.

One notable individual with the FOISTER surname was Sir John Forster (c. 1520 - 1602), an English soldier and politician who served as the Warden of the Middle Marches on the Scottish border. He played a significant role in the Anglo-Scottish border conflicts during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Forster (1675 - 1738), an English mathematician and philosopher who made contributions to the study of calculus and the theory of fluxions. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1723.

In the literary world, Edward Morgan Forster (1879 - 1970) was a renowned English novelist, essayist, and short story writer. He is best known for his novels such as "A Room with a View," "Howards End," and "A Passage to India."

The FOISTER surname also had a presence in the United States, with individuals like William Forster (1784 - 1854), a Quaker minister and abolitionist from Pennsylvania, who was a prominent figure in the anti-slavery movement.

Finally, Arnold Foister (1886 - 1977) was a British architect and designer who made significant contributions to the Art Deco and Modernist architectural movements in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Foister families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Foister surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Leicestershire leads with 45 Foisters recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.48x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 45 55.48x
Derbyshire 11 9.61x
Norfolk 5 4.45x
Cambridgeshire 4 8.63x
Cheshire 4 2.48x
Lincolnshire 3 2.57x
Middlesex 3 0.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 14 Foisters recorded in 1881 and an index of 70.78x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 14 70.78x
Scalford 10 5882.35x
Frisby On The Wreake 6 6000.00x
Shirland 6 697.67x
Syston 6 789.47x
Thurmaston North 6 5454.55x
Kenninghall 5 1612.90x
Walton On Trent 5 4545.45x
St Andrewthe Less 4 75.61x
Willaston In Nantwich 4 800.00x
Crowland 3 410.96x
St Pancras London 2 3.40x
Belgrave 1 54.64x
Ealing 1 15.29x
Gaddesby 1 1666.67x
Leicester St Mary 1 15.27x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Foister surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Eliza 5
Elizabeth 5
Mary 4
Alice 3
Catherine 2
Maria 2
Sarah 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Dinah 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Julia 1
Madeline 1
Rebeca 1
Saah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Foister surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 7
Thomas 6
Charles 5
John 4
Arthur 3
Herbert 3
Frederick 2
Aurthar 1
Ernest 1
George 1
Henry 1
James 1
Morris 1
Robert 1
Tom 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Foister surname: questions and answers

How common was the Foister surname in 1881?

In 1881, 75 people were recorded with the Foister surname. That placed it at #22,893 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Foister surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016. That gives Foister a modern rank of #27,255.

What does the Foister surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name like Foissac in France.

What does the Foister map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Foister bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.