NameCensus.

UK surname

Forbes

A Scottish surname referring to someone who came from a place near a ford or river crossing.

In the 1881 census there were 10,051 people recorded with the Forbes surname, ranking it #425 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 13,701, ranked #467, down from #425 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Inverness and Bona and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Howe of Alford, Mearns North and Inverbervie and Hilltown.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Forbes is 13,832 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.3%.

1881 census count

10,051

Ranked #425

Modern count

13,701

2016, ranked #467

Peak year

2010

13,832 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Forbes had 10,051 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #425 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 13,701 in 2016, ranked #467.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 11,734 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Forbes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Forbes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Forbes 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 7,520 #373
1861 historical 7,593 #370
1881 historical 10,051 #425
1891 historical 10,619 #414
1901 historical 11,734 #443
1911 historical 3,568 #1,464
1997 modern 12,448 #488
1998 modern 12,972 #491
1999 modern 13,138 #486
2000 modern 13,137 #482
2001 modern 12,707 #488
2002 modern 13,178 #479
2003 modern 12,920 #477
2004 modern 12,934 #477
2005 modern 12,986 #470
2006 modern 13,004 #469
2007 modern 13,146 #470
2008 modern 13,227 #470
2009 modern 13,590 #470
2010 modern 13,832 #470
2011 modern 13,489 #474
2012 modern 13,363 #471
2013 modern 13,610 #473
2014 modern 13,747 #471
2015 modern 13,650 #470
2016 modern 13,701 #467

Geography

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Where Forbes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Inverness and Bona, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Howe of Alford, Mearns North and Inverbervie, Hilltown, Torry West and Hilton. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Inverness and Bona Inverness
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Howe of Alford Aberdeenshire
2 Mearns North and Inverbervie Aberdeenshire
3 Hilltown Dundee City
4 Torry West Aberdeen City
5 Hilton Aberdeen City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Forbes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Forbes

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Forbes, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Forbes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Forbes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Forbes is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Forbes is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

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

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Forbes falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Forbes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Forbes

The surname FORBES is of Scottish origin, derived from the lands of Forbes in Aberdeenshire. The name is believed to have originated from the Gaelic words "fòrch" meaning field and "baile" meaning town or settlement, suggesting the name translates to "the town among the fields".

The earliest recorded spelling of the surname is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists Alanus de Forbes as a landowner who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. The name also appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1369 as "Williame Forbes".

The FORBES family played a prominent role in Scottish history, with their ancestral lands located near the River Don in Aberdeenshire. The family's power and influence grew significantly during the 16th and 17th centuries, with several members holding important positions in the Scottish government and military.

One notable figure was Alexander Forbes, 4th Lord Forbes (1537-1594), who was a Scottish nobleman and military commander. He fought against the English at the Battle of Pinkie in 1547 and later supported Mary, Queen of Scots during the Scottish Reformation.

Another distinguished member of the FORBES family was William Forbes (1585-1634), a Scottish bishop and theologian. He served as the Bishop of Edinburgh from 1634 until his death and was a respected figure in the Scottish Episcopal Church.

During the 18th century, the FORBES family continued to play a significant role in Scottish society. John Forbes (1714-1796) was a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow from 1782 to 1784.

The name FORBES also has connections to the United States, with several notable individuals bearing the surname. One of the most famous was Malcolm Forbes (1919-1990), an American entrepreneur and publisher who served as the editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine.

In addition to these historical figures, the surname FORBES has been associated with various place names, including the town of Forbes in New South Wales, Australia, and the Forbes Range in Antarctica.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Forbes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Forbes 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 1,943 Forbes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.43x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 1,943 21.43x
Angus 899 9.91x
Lanarkshire 800 2.53x
Midlothian 651 4.96x
Perthshire 619 14.09x
Middlesex 549 0.56x
Inverness-shire 450 15.39x
Banffshire 359 17.68x
Caithness 305 22.76x
Lancashire 299 0.26x
Ross-shire 260 9.67x
Kincardineshire 233 19.55x
Fife 229 3.95x
Durham 221 0.76x
Yorkshire 201 0.21x
Renfrewshire 160 2.11x
Stirlingshire 155 4.29x
Kent 150 0.45x
Surrey 139 0.29x
Northumberland 130 0.89x
Morayshire 113 7.43x
Sutherland 110 14.61x
Cheshire 57 0.26x
East Lothian 57 4.40x
Dunbartonshire 56 2.13x
Staffordshire 54 0.16x
West Lothian 53 3.60x
Glamorgan 50 0.29x
Nairnshire 47 15.73x
Hampshire 42 0.21x
Warwickshire 42 0.17x
Berwickshire 41 3.46x
Sussex 40 0.24x
Ayrshire 38 0.52x
Argyllshire 33 1.21x
Devon 33 0.16x
Kinross-shire 31 12.53x
Cumberland 27 0.32x
Berkshire 26 0.35x
Essex 21 0.11x
Worcestershire 20 0.16x
Somerset 19 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 18 0.14x
Dumfriesshire 16 0.74x
Gloucestershire 14 0.07x
Orkney 14 1.30x
Royal Navy 14 1.20x
Buckinghamshire 13 0.22x
Lincolnshire 13 0.08x
Roxburghshire 13 0.73x
Westmorland 13 0.60x
Leicestershire 12 0.11x
Dorset 11 0.17x
Northamptonshire 11 0.12x
Wigtownshire 11 0.85x
Shropshire 10 0.12x
Channel Islands 9 0.31x
Derbyshire 9 0.06x
Monmouthshire 9 0.13x
Clackmannanshire 8 0.99x
Caernarfonshire 7 0.18x
Cambridgeshire 6 0.10x
Wiltshire 6 0.07x
Peeblesshire 5 1.09x
Buteshire 4 0.67x
Hertfordshire 4 0.06x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 0.28x
Bedfordshire 3 0.06x
Shetland 3 0.30x
Suffolk 3 0.03x
Cornwall 2 0.02x
Herefordshire 2 0.05x
Norfolk 2 0.01x
Selkirkshire 2 0.23x
Denbighshire 1 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 356 Forbes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.75x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 356 6.75x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 347 20.46x
Aberdeen Old Machar 326 17.22x
Dundee 302 8.92x
Govan 263 3.36x
Barony 225 2.81x
Inverness 203 27.61x
Latheron 155 69.13x
Glasgow 117 2.08x
Peterhead 86 17.94x
Liff Benvie 79 5.74x
Forfar 74 15.07x
Rathven 72 18.88x
St Vigeans 72 14.71x
Nigg 69 69.97x
Wick 67 15.48x
Logierait 61 78.87x
Dull 58 65.86x
Montrose 57 10.37x
New Monkland 56 5.98x
Kensington London 55 1.01x
Paddington London 52 1.44x
Strathdon 51 115.75x
Dornoch 48 56.60x
Tarland 44 111.93x
Islington London 43 0.45x
Alford 41 83.06x
Kilmorack 41 46.26x
Brechin 40 11.22x
Newhills 40 21.55x
Thurso 40 19.13x
Glenmuick Tullich 39 59.69x
Belhelvie 38 61.30x
Deptford St Paul 38 1.48x
Fordyce 37 25.33x
Fyvie 37 25.01x
Polmont 37 27.76x
Stirling 37 8.13x
Arbroath 36 11.98x
Dysart 36 9.23x
Kincardine O Neil 36 55.61x
Moulin 36 51.85x
Daviot Dunlichity 35 83.23x
Marnoch 35 32.10x
Nairn 34 18.75x
Meldrum 33 43.21x
St Pancras London 33 0.42x
Edinburgh Canongate 32 9.59x
Gamrie 32 14.12x
Perth West Church 32 15.35x
Keith 31 14.32x
Little Dunkeld 31 41.58x
Monifieth 31 9.68x
Perth East Church 31 7.48x
South Leith 31 2.10x
Towie 31 121.90x
Coldstream 30 34.97x
West Greenock 30 2.20x
Kintore 29 36.81x
Leeds 29 0.53x
Mile End Old Town London 29 1.39x
North Leith 29 4.78x
Falkirk 28 3.31x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 28 2.22x
Huntly 28 18.98x
Old Deer 28 16.30x
Logie Coldstone 27 88.73x
New Deer 27 16.45x
Resolis 27 56.27x
Blair Athole 26 44.41x
Creich 26 34.67x
Inverurie 26 25.36x
Kinnoull 26 22.51x
Markinch 26 13.22x
Ratcliffe London 26 4.81x
St George Hanover Square 26 1.51x
Dores 25 64.04x
Gartly 25 83.72x
Lambeth 25 0.29x
Turriff 25 17.08x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 164
William 120
James 118
George 75
Thomas 55
Charles 51
Alexander 49
Henry 36
Robert 34
Arthur 24
David 24
Joseph 17
Alfred 15
Edward 14
Walter 14
Andrew 12
Frederick 12
Harry 11
Archibald 9
Daniel 9
Peter 9
Duncan 8
Patrick 8
Wm. 8
Benjamin 6
Francis 5
H. 5
Donald 4
Ernest 4
Michael 4
Samuel 4
Thos. 4
Adam 3
Albert 3
Alex 3
Alexr. 3
Colin 3
Frank 3
Fred 3
Herbert 3
Hugh 3
Richard 3
Chas. 2
Edmund 2
Hector 2
Jas. 2
Jno. 2
Malcolm 2
Norman 2
Percy 2

FAQ

Forbes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Forbes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 10,051 people were recorded with the Forbes surname. That placed it at #425 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Forbes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 13,701 in 2016. That gives Forbes a modern rank of #467.

What does the Forbes surname mean?

A Scottish surname referring to someone who came from a place near a ford or river crossing.

What does the Forbes map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Forbes 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.