NameCensus.

UK surname

Forest

An English topographic surname for someone who lived near or worked in a royal forest.

In the 1881 census there were 878 people recorded with the Forest surname, ranking it #4,323 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 321, ranked #14,065, down from #4,323 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Burford, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Oxfordshire, Chiltern and Slough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Forest is 1,008 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 63.4%.

1881 census count

878

Ranked #4,323

Modern count

321

2016, ranked #14,065

Peak year

1891

1,008 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Forest had 878 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,323 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 321 in 2016, ranked #14,065.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,008 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Forest surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Forest surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Forest 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 714 #3,662
1861 historical 867 #3,199
1881 historical 878 #4,323
1891 historical 1,008 #4,122
1901 historical 534 #7,683
1911 historical 357 #10,132
1997 modern 214 #16,893
1998 modern 238 #16,218
1999 modern 253 #15,667
2000 modern 245 #15,955
2001 modern 230 #16,415
2002 modern 250 #15,819
2003 modern 235 #16,291
2004 modern 239 #16,193
2005 modern 236 #16,286
2006 modern 238 #16,288
2007 modern 244 #16,186
2008 modern 263 #15,505
2009 modern 276 #15,300
2010 modern 302 #14,661
2011 modern 300 #14,591
2012 modern 302 #14,451
2013 modern 314 #14,273
2014 modern 310 #14,499
2015 modern 317 #14,183
2016 modern 321 #14,065

Geography

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Where Forests are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Burford, London parishes, Edinburgh, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Oxfordshire, Chiltern, Slough, Luton and Hackney. 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 Burford Oxfordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Oxfordshire 008 West Oxfordshire
2 Chiltern 010 Chiltern
3 Slough 001 Slough
4 Luton 008 Luton
5 Hackney 023 Hackney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Forest

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Forest

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Forest surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Forest household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Forest 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

Forest is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Forest falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Forest is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Forest

The surname FOREST originates in England and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "forest," meaning "wooded area," reflecting a connection to someone who lived near or worked in a forest.

In medieval times, surnames were often derived from a person's occupation or a distinguishing characteristic of their residence. The surname FOREST likely referred to individuals who lived in or near a forest or worked as foresters, responsible for managing and protecting woodlands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the FOREST surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1185, where it is listed as "Ricardus de Foresta." This Latin form translates to "Richard of the Forest," indicating that the surname was used to identify someone's association with a forested area.

Another early reference to the FOREST surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a "Rogerus de la Forest." This example demonstrates the use of the French preposition "de la" before the surname, indicating "of the Forest."

In the 14th century, the FOREST surname appeared in various forms, such as "Forester" and "Forster," reflecting the evolving spellings of the name over time. Notable individuals from this period include John Forster (c. 1350-1438), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament.

During the Tudor period, the FOREST surname continued to be recorded in various spellings, including "Fforyster" and "Fforster." One notable figure from this era was Sir John Fortescue (c. 1531-1607), an English jurist and author who wrote extensively on legal matters.

In the 17th century, the FOREST surname was further solidified in its modern spelling. John Forest (1638-1712), an English engraver and cartographer, was a notable bearer of the name during this period.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the FOREST surname was well-established in various parts of England. Notable individuals included Sir Benjamine Forest (1762-1838), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War, and Charles Forrest (1825-1911), an English cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire.

While the FOREST surname has its origins in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns of English settlers and immigrants over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Forest families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Forest 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. Lancashire leads with 109 Forests recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.10x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 109 1.10x
Lanarkshire 94 3.47x
Yorkshire 88 1.06x
Middlesex 69 0.82x
Durham 61 2.45x
Oxfordshire 39 7.54x
Kent 35 1.22x
Northumberland 29 2.33x
Surrey 28 0.69x
Staffordshire 26 0.92x
Aberdeenshire 25 3.22x
Worcestershire 24 2.19x
Midlothian 23 2.05x
Nottinghamshire 16 1.42x
Peeblesshire 16 40.60x
Cheshire 15 0.81x
Warwickshire 14 0.66x
Cumberland 10 1.39x
Kincardineshire 10 9.80x
Berkshire 9 1.43x
East Lothian 9 8.11x
Ayrshire 8 1.28x
Selkirkshire 8 10.55x
Angus 7 0.90x
Wiltshire 7 0.94x
Essex 6 0.36x
Flintshire 6 2.66x
Monmouthshire 6 0.99x
Hampshire 5 0.29x
Northamptonshire 5 0.63x
Renfrewshire 5 0.77x
Stirlingshire 5 1.62x
Argyllshire 4 1.71x
Derbyshire 4 0.30x
Dunbartonshire 4 1.78x
Devon 2 0.11x
Dorset 2 0.36x
Fife 2 0.40x
Glamorgan 2 0.14x
Hertfordshire 2 0.35x
Leicestershire 2 0.22x
Morayshire 2 1.54x
Royal Navy 2 2.00x
Somerset 2 0.15x
Suffolk 2 0.20x
Sussex 2 0.14x
West Lothian 2 1.58x
Cornwall 1 0.11x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.54x
Gloucestershire 1 0.06x
Lincolnshire 1 0.07x
Norfolk 1 0.08x
Roxburghshire 1 0.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Burford in Oxfordshire leads with 34 Forests recorded in 1881 and an index of 757.24x.

Place Total Index
Burford 34 757.24x
Lesmahagow 24 83.74x
Ilkley 12 88.43x
Romaldkirk 12 1518.99x
Arnold 10 60.64x
Cambuslang 10 36.60x
Fetteresso 10 62.54x
Kidderminster Borough 10 15.62x
Birmingham 9 1.28x
Carstairs 9 160.43x
Gomersal 9 23.22x
Old Deer 9 61.18x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 9 23.33x
Woolwich 9 8.52x
Chirton 8 28.35x
Hetton Le Hole 8 25.32x
Innerleithen 8 76.48x
Old Monkland 8 7.44x
Sunderland 8 18.17x
Westgate 8 10.36x
Widnes 8 11.15x
Camberwell 7 1.31x
Chelsea London 7 2.77x
Downe 7 443.04x
Kirkurd 7 864.20x
Melrose 7 36.69x
New Monkland 7 8.74x
North Meols 7 7.19x
Oldbury 7 13.00x
Salesbury 7 1320.75x
Westoe 7 4.95x
Aberdeen Old Machar 6 3.70x
Auckinleck 6 30.91x
Battersea 6 1.95x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.65x
Broughton In Salford 6 6.60x
Cradley 6 60.61x
Crook Billy Row 6 18.80x
Croston 6 116.73x
Govan 6 0.90x
Hackney London 6 1.28x
Islington London 6 0.74x
Kirkdale 6 3.59x
Kirkham 6 45.63x
Lanark 6 27.52x
Middleton In Oldham 6 20.13x
Mold 6 29.37x
North Bierley 6 13.38x
Reading St Giles 6 9.72x
Rowley Regis 6 7.61x
Satley 6 419.58x
Seend 6 408.16x
Shotts 6 18.50x
Southcoates 6 13.02x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 2.30x
Baldernock 5 304.88x
Barony 5 0.73x
Bradford 5 2.49x
Chatton 5 130.55x
East Kilbride 5 43.07x
Eccleston In Prescot 5 10.02x
Garston 5 17.04x
Hampsthwaite 5 381.68x
Harborne 5 5.52x
Hyde 5 9.16x
Inveresk 5 16.45x
Kensington London 5 1.07x
Mansfield 5 12.79x
Pudsey 5 11.27x
South Leith 5 3.96x
St Marylebone London 5 1.12x
St Pancras London 5 0.74x
St Woollos 5 7.40x
Tweedmouth 5 32.18x
West Bromwich 5 3.09x
Whittinghame 5 271.74x
Bonhill 4 11.07x
Borthwick 4 79.68x
Kenilworth 4 33.59x
Merrington 4 83.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 45
Elizabeth 25
Ann 19
Sarah 15
Hannah 12
Ellen 11
Margaret 10
Emily 9
Jane 9
Annie 8
Eliza 7
Emma 7
Alice 6
Anne 5
Catherine 5
Fanny 5
Julia 5
Amelia 4
Eleanor 4
Harriet 4
Lucy 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Caroline 3
Clara 3
Henrietta 3
Jessie 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Phebe 3
Bridget 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Isabella 2
Jemima 2
Laura 2
Martha 2
Adrienne 1
Allice 1
Bessie 1
Edna 1
Elizbth. 1
Honoria 1
Horstence 1
Jeane 1
W. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 45
William 45
James 21
Thomas 19
George 17
Richard 14
Henry 13
Robert 10
Samuel 9
Joseph 6
Charles 5
Frederick 5
Matthew 5
Benjamin 4
Edward 4
Harry 4
Jacob 4
Mark 4
David 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Alexander 2
Alfred 2
Archibald 2
Arthur 2
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
Douglas 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Hannibal 2
Peter 2
Ralph 2
Allan 1
Branwell 1
Delamere 1
Eli 1
Emile 1
Eugene 1
Fletcher 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Jabez 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Forest surname: questions and answers

How common was the Forest surname in 1881?

In 1881, 878 people were recorded with the Forest surname. That placed it at #4,323 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Forest surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 321 in 2016. That gives Forest a modern rank of #14,065.

What does the Forest surname mean?

An English topographic surname for someone who lived near or worked in a royal forest.

What does the Forest map show?

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