NameCensus.

UK surname

Forgie

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "forgaidh" meaning forward or industrious.

In the 1881 census there were 343 people recorded with the Forgie surname, ranking it #8,889 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 272, ranked #15,832, down from #8,889 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Girvan, New Monkland and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Whitburn, Croftmalloch and Greenrigg, Ythanside and Carluke South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Forgie is 343 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 20.7%.

1881 census count

343

Ranked #8,889

Modern count

272

2016, ranked #15,832

Peak year

1881

343 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Forgie had 343 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,889 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 272 in 2016, ranked #15,832.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 343 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Forgie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Forgie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Forgie 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 318 #7,293
1861 historical 341 #7,479
1881 historical 343 #8,889
1891 historical 342 #10,023
1901 historical 297 #11,721
1911 historical 22 #31,030
1997 modern 242 #15,597
1998 modern 241 #16,065
1999 modern 240 #16,226
2000 modern 257 #15,468
2001 modern 254 #15,363
2002 modern 264 #15,236
2003 modern 270 #14,825
2004 modern 260 #15,309
2005 modern 261 #15,216
2006 modern 262 #15,255
2007 modern 255 #15,687
2008 modern 259 #15,688
2009 modern 264 #15,798
2010 modern 265 #16,115
2011 modern 257 #16,335
2012 modern 278 #15,333
2013 modern 278 #15,618
2014 modern 277 #15,734
2015 modern 280 #15,485
2016 modern 272 #15,832

Geography

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Where Forgies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Girvan, New Monkland, Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Whitburn, Croftmalloch and Greenrigg, Ythanside, Carluke South, Ellon West and Lewisham. 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 Girvan Ayr
2 New Monkland Lanark
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Whitburn, Croftmalloch and Greenrigg West Lothian
2 Ythanside Aberdeenshire
3 Carluke South South Lanarkshire
4 Ellon West Aberdeenshire
5 Lewisham 002 Lewisham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Forgie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Forgie

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Forgie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Forgie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Forgie 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

Forgie 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

Forgie falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Forgie 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 Forgie, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Forgie

The surname Forgie has its origins in Scotland, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "forghair," meaning "watchman" or "warder." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who held a position as a guard or watchman, perhaps at a castle or other fortified location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland from 1593, which mentions a "James Forgie." This document provides evidence of the name's existence in Scotland during the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name appears in several parish records and historical documents, including the Commissariot Record of Aberdeen, which mentions a "John Forgie" in 1637. This suggests that the name was well-established in the Aberdeen area during this time period.

The surname Forgie has also been linked to the village of Forgue in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is possible that the name originated as a locative surname, referring to someone who hailed from or lived near this particular location.

Notable individuals with the surname Forgie include John Forgie (1768-1844), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Aberdeen from 1829 to 1831. Another prominent figure was William Forgie (1818-1891), a Scottish businessman and politician who was elected as a Member of Parliament for Aberdeen in 1868.

Other historical figures bearing the Forgie name include James Forgie (1852-1920), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, and Alexander Forgie (1874-1958), a Canadian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.

The Forgie surname has also been found in various records and manuscripts throughout history, such as the Commissariot Record of Moray from the 17th century and the Old Parochial Registers of Scotland, which contain numerous entries for individuals with this surname from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Forgie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Forgie 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. Lanarkshire leads with 88 Forgies recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.16x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 88 8.16x
Ayrshire 55 22.03x
Aberdeenshire 38 12.30x
Midlothian 35 7.83x
Stirlingshire 35 28.45x
Dunbartonshire 23 25.66x
Renfrewshire 21 8.12x
West Lothian 16 31.85x
Buckinghamshire 8 3.97x
Northumberland 6 1.21x
Perthshire 5 3.34x
East Lothian 4 9.05x
Durham 3 0.30x
Argyllshire 2 2.15x
Buteshire 1 4.95x
Fife 1 0.51x
Lancashire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Falkirk in Stirlingshire leads with 27 Forgies recorded in 1881 and an index of 93.75x.

Place Total Index
Falkirk 27 93.75x
Govan 19 7.12x
Ayr 18 152.80x
Barony 16 5.86x
Cruden 15 376.88x
Glasgow 14 7.31x
New Monkland 13 40.77x
Longside 12 325.20x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 10 5.56x
Girvan 10 159.49x
South Leith 9 17.90x
Cardross 8 74.35x
Rutherglen 8 50.54x
Wooburn 8 287.77x
Linlithgow 7 108.70x
Maybole 7 92.11x
Old Kilpatrick 7 66.10x
Peterhead 7 42.84x
St Quivox 7 82.94x
Edinburgh Canongate 6 52.77x
Westgate 6 19.52x
Boness 5 72.15x
Edinburgh Old Church 5 139.28x
Kilmalcolm 5 161.29x
Stirling 5 32.24x
West Greenock 5 10.78x
Aboyne 4 245.40x
Ardrossan 4 46.30x
Cadder 4 50.19x
Cumbernauld 4 81.47x
Hamilton 4 13.29x
Paisley High Church 4 19.44x
Stenton 4 588.24x
Whitburn 4 55.10x
Colmonell 3 119.52x
Liberton 3 43.48x
Logie 3 55.87x
Maryhill 3 14.20x
Muiravonside 3 95.85x
Newton On Ayr 3 40.11x
Row 3 25.86x
Shotts 3 23.24x
Aberfoyle 2 370.37x
Cambuslang 2 18.38x
Dailly 2 78.43x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 2 4.65x
Inverkip 2 32.84x
Neilston 2 15.41x
Penicuik 2 32.95x
Auckinleck 1 12.94x
Cambusnethan 1 4.17x
Cathcart 1 7.15x
Cumbrae 1 46.95x
Everton 1 0.79x
Inverchaolain 1 217.39x
Lochwinnoch 1 25.97x
New Kilpatrick 1 11.72x
Old Monkland 1 2.34x
Pittenweem 1 41.15x
Renfrew 1 11.71x
Torsay 1 769.23x
Westoe 1 1.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 2
Elizabeth 1
Elizb. 1
Ellen 1
Jane 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Alexander 2
George 1
James 1
Jas. 1
Jas.Wm. 1
Thomas 1
William 1

Top occupations

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 Forgie households.

FAQ

Forgie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Forgie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 343 people were recorded with the Forgie surname. That placed it at #8,889 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Forgie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 272 in 2016. That gives Forgie a modern rank of #15,832.

What does the Forgie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "forgaidh" meaning forward or industrious.

What does the Forgie map show?

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