UK surname
An English occupational surname for someone who worked or lived near a ford, a shallow river crossing.
In the 1881 census there were 98 people recorded with the Fore surname, ranking it #19,999 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 25, ranked #36,324, down from #19,999 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes and Newcastle All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fore is 173 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 74.5%.
1881 census count
98
Ranked #19,999
Modern count
25
2016, ranked #36,324
Peak year
1861
173 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Fore surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Fore surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 26 | #28,667 |
| 1861 | historical | 173 | #13,553 |
| 1881 | historical | 98 | #19,999 |
| 1891 | historical | 167 | #17,006 |
| 1901 | historical | 70 | #26,383 |
| 1911 | historical | 44 | #28,454 |
| 1997 | modern | 8 | #37,372 |
| 1998 | modern | 10 | #37,048 |
| 1999 | modern | 10 | #37,072 |
| 2000 | modern | 12 | #36,749 |
| 2001 | modern | 9 | #36,980 |
| 2002 | modern | 12 | #36,679 |
| 2003 | modern | 12 | #36,715 |
| 2004 | modern | 12 | #36,835 |
| 2005 | modern | 12 | #36,936 |
| 2006 | modern | 11 | #37,118 |
| 2007 | modern | 14 | #36,886 |
| 2008 | modern | 16 | #36,766 |
| 2009 | modern | 16 | #36,850 |
| 2010 | modern | 18 | #36,774 |
| 2011 | modern | 17 | #36,839 |
| 2012 | modern | 21 | #36,490 |
| 2013 | modern | 23 | #36,414 |
| 2014 | modern | 25 | #36,314 |
| 2015 | modern | 25 | #36,297 |
| 2016 | modern | 25 | #36,324 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes, Newcastle All Saints, North Meols and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Mary Whitechapel | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Newcastle All Saints | Northumberland |
| 4 | North Meols | Lancashire |
| 5 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Fore surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fore, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Fore surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Fore household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Fore is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fore is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Fore, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname FORE is believed to have originated in England, with some of the earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. It is likely derived from the Old English word "for," which means "before" or "in front of." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a prominent feature, such as a forest or a road.
One of the earliest known references to the surname FORE can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which recorded the names of landowners in various counties of England. The name appears in several variations, including Fore, Forre, and Forr.
In the 14th century, the surname FORE appears in the records of the Manors of Cuxham and Coleshill in Oxfordshire, where it is spelled as "Fore." This suggests that the name was well-established in this region during that time period.
During the Middle Ages, it was common for surnames to be derived from place names, and the FORE surname may have originated from a location or landmark with a similar name. Some examples of place names that may have influenced the surname include Ford, Fordham, and Foremark.
One notable figure in history who bore the surname FORE was Sir John Fore, a member of Parliament for Lyme Regis in 1366. Another individual of note was William Fore, a merchant from Bristol who was born around 1540 and played a significant role in the city's trade with Spain and Portugal.
In the 17th century, the FORE surname appears in the records of the Virginia Company, which was responsible for establishing the first permanent English settlement in North America. One such individual was Robert Fore, who was listed as a landowner in the colony in 1623.
Other notable individuals with the surname FORE include Richard Fore (1768-1853), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars, and James Fore (1844-1911), an American politician and businessman who served as the mayor of Mobile, Alabama.
While the surname FORE may have originated in England, it has since spread to various other parts of the world, likely due to migration and the movement of people over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fore surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 23 Fores recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.41x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 23 | 2.41x |
| Lancashire | 9 | 0.79x |
| Cheshire | 8 | 3.79x |
| Surrey | 8 | 1.72x |
| Sussex | 8 | 4.96x |
| Wiltshire | 8 | 9.46x |
| Devon | 6 | 3.02x |
| Kent | 5 | 1.53x |
| Derbyshire | 4 | 2.67x |
| Lanarkshire | 4 | 1.29x |
| Suffolk | 4 | 3.44x |
| Roxburghshire | 3 | 17.33x |
| Shropshire | 3 | 3.63x |
| Nottinghamshire | 2 | 1.55x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.53x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.53x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.11x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 10 Fores recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.66x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Hackney London | 10 | 18.66x |
| Whitechapel London | 10 | 106.16x |
| Birkenhead | 7 | 41.62x |
| Wootton Bassett | 7 | 945.95x |
| Brighton | 6 | 18.46x |
| Stoke Damerel | 5 | 35.89x |
| Tyldesley Cum Shakerley | 5 | 152.91x |
| Woolwich | 5 | 41.49x |
| Coal Aston | 4 | 1538.46x |
| Govan | 4 | 5.23x |
| Lambeth | 4 | 4.80x |
| Thelnetham | 4 | 3076.92x |
| Walton On Thames | 4 | 186.92x |
| Jedburgh | 3 | 176.47x |
| W Felton | 3 | 857.14x |
| Eastbourne | 2 | 26.95x |
| Newark Upon Trent | 2 | 43.20x |
| Bristol St Stephen | 1 | 204.08x |
| Chester St Bridget | 1 | 277.78x |
| East Stonehouse | 1 | 25.51x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.08x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 1.88x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 1.45x |
| Loughton | 1 | 107.53x |
| Manchester | 1 | 1.96x |
| North Meols | 1 | 9.01x |
| Pendlebury | 1 | 41.84x |
| Skircoat | 1 | 26.74x |
| Slaughterford | 1 | 1666.67x |
| St George Hanover Square | 1 | 5.94x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Fore surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Fore surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Fore households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 21 |
| Bootmaker | 3 |
| Cordwainer | 3 |
| General Domestic Serv | 2 |
| Labourer | 2 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Apprentice | 1 |
| Baker | 1 |
| Barman (Inn Serv) | 1 |
| Boot Maker | 1 |
| Cabman | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Chemist Employing 9 Hands | 1 |
| Coalminer | 1 |
| Cook (Dom) | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Engineer | 1 |
| Farmer | 1 |
| Farmer Of 174 Acres | 1 |
| Farmers Daur | 1 |
| Farmers Sister | 1 |
| Farmers Son | 1 |
| Farmers Wife | 1 |
| Gardener Dom | 1 |
| Gen Servant | 1 |
| Housekeeper (Lodg) | 1 |
| Housekeeper Dom | 1 |
| Housemaid | 1 |
| Husband Abroad Travelling For Ill Health | 1 |
| Laundress Domestic | 1 |
| Master Tailor | 1 |
| No Occ | 1 |
| Private Of The 76th Regiment ... | 1 |
| Prte 1st Royal Cheshire Militia | 1 |
| Retired Pork Dealer | 1 |
| Servant | 1 |
| Shipwright | 1 |
| Shipwright Wife | 1 |
| Shoe Maker | 1 |
| Sol Clerk | 1 |
| Student Kings College | 1 |
| Tailor | 1 |
| Wife Of Tailor Tailoress | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 98 people were recorded with the Fore surname. That placed it at #19,999 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 25 in 2016. That gives Fore a modern rank of #36,324.
An English occupational surname for someone who worked or lived near a ford, a shallow river crossing.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Fore bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.