NameCensus.

UK surname

Forrest

One who lived near or worked in a royal forest, derived from the Old French word "forest."

In the 1881 census there were 7,756 people recorded with the Forrest surname, ranking it #549 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 11,007, ranked #581, down from #549 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Edinburgh and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath, Pembrokeshire and Forth, Braehead and Auchengray.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Forrest is 11,270 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.9%.

1881 census count

7,756

Ranked #549

Modern count

11,007

2016, ranked #581

Peak year

2010

11,270 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Forrest had 7,756 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #549 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 11,007 in 2016, ranked #581.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 10,309 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Forrest surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Forrest surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Forrest 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 4,893 #570
1861 historical 5,262 #534
1881 historical 7,756 #549
1891 historical 8,508 #517
1901 historical 10,309 #507
1911 historical 6,315 #812
1997 modern 10,791 #573
1998 modern 11,164 #573
1999 modern 11,170 #577
2000 modern 11,173 #572
2001 modern 10,879 #574
2002 modern 11,153 #574
2003 modern 10,909 #574
2004 modern 10,977 #572
2005 modern 10,875 #571
2006 modern 10,792 #574
2007 modern 10,898 #574
2008 modern 10,925 #578
2009 modern 11,074 #586
2010 modern 11,270 #586
2011 modern 11,031 #593
2012 modern 10,703 #598
2013 modern 10,941 #596
2014 modern 11,071 #595
2015 modern 11,022 #585
2016 modern 11,007 #581

Geography

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Where Forrests are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath, Pembrokeshire, Forth, Braehead and Auchengray, Crossford, Braidwood and Yieldshields and West Lindsey. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 Carluke Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath South Lanarkshire
2 Pembrokeshire 012 Pembrokeshire
3 Forth, Braehead and Auchengray South Lanarkshire
4 Crossford, Braidwood and Yieldshields South Lanarkshire
5 West Lindsey 004 West Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Forrest

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Forrest

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Forrest, 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 Forrest surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Forrest 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, Forrest 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

Forrest 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

Forrest falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Forrest

The surname Forrest is of English origin and is derived from the Old English word "fyrhþ" meaning a wood or forest. It is a locational surname that originally referred to someone who lived near or in a forest area.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Forrest dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Foret". This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of land and landholdings in England.

During the medieval period, the surname was often recorded with various spellings such as Foreste, Forst, and Fforest. These variations were due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.

The name Forrest has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir Adam Forrest, a Scottish knight who lived in the 13th century and fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence.

Another prominent figure was John Forrest, an English explorer and surveyor who lived from 1847 to 1918. He played a significant role in the exploration and mapping of Western Australia and was knighted for his contributions.

In the realm of literature, the surname Forrest is perhaps most famously associated with the American novelist and short story writer Nathan Bedford Forrest, who lived from 1899 to 1968. His works, including the novel "A Farewell to Arms," are considered literary masterpieces.

John William Forrest, born in 1847 and died in 1918, was an Australian explorer and politician who served as the first Premier of Western Australia from 1890 to 1901.

Lastly, Sir Andrew Forrest, born in 1961, is an Australian businessman and philanthropist known for his work in the mining industry and his advocacy for various charitable causes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Forrest families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Forrest 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 1,700 Forrests recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.98x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 1,700 6.98x
Lancashire 1,312 1.47x
Midlothian 601 5.96x
Yorkshire 431 0.58x
Aberdeenshire 381 5.46x
Durham 329 1.47x
Middlesex 273 0.36x
Northumberland 257 2.29x
Staffordshire 152 0.60x
Surrey 151 0.41x
Angus 144 2.06x
Worcestershire 138 1.40x
Kent 131 0.51x
Renfrewshire 126 2.16x
West Lothian 116 10.23x
Cheshire 112 0.67x
East Lothian 105 10.53x
Stirlingshire 90 3.24x
Ayrshire 83 1.47x
Cumberland 69 1.06x
Dunbartonshire 67 3.31x
Warwickshire 59 0.31x
Lincolnshire 52 0.43x
Sussex 52 0.41x
Derbyshire 49 0.42x
Fife 45 1.01x
Kincardineshire 42 4.58x
Peeblesshire 42 11.86x
Hampshire 41 0.27x
Roxburghshire 39 2.86x
Nottinghamshire 37 0.36x
Berwickshire 32 3.51x
Glamorgan 32 0.24x
Gloucestershire 30 0.20x
Banffshire 27 1.73x
Devon 27 0.17x
Perthshire 25 0.74x
Dumfriesshire 24 1.44x
Morayshire 24 2.05x
Oxfordshire 22 0.47x
Essex 21 0.14x
Monmouthshire 21 0.39x
Westmorland 21 1.27x
Wiltshire 21 0.32x
Royal Navy 16 1.78x
Kirkcudbrightshire 14 1.28x
Argyllshire 13 0.62x
Cornwall 10 0.12x
Northamptonshire 10 0.14x
Somerset 10 0.08x
Wigtownshire 10 1.00x
Dorset 8 0.16x
Shropshire 8 0.12x
Suffolk 8 0.09x
Denbighshire 6 0.21x
Leicestershire 6 0.07x
Buteshire 5 1.10x
Selkirkshire 5 0.73x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.13x
Clackmannanshire 4 0.64x
Huntingdonshire 4 0.27x
Inverness-shire 4 0.18x
Isle of Man 4 0.29x
Channel Islands 3 0.13x
Flintshire 3 0.15x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.07x
Herefordshire 2 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.08x
Anglesey 1 0.07x
Berkshire 1 0.02x
Caithness 1 0.10x
Hertfordshire 1 0.02x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.06x
Rutland 1 0.18x

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 274 Forrests recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.75x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 274 6.75x
Barony 226 3.67x
Blackburn 219 9.21x
Govan 184 3.05x
Carluke 159 71.90x
Glasgow 143 3.31x
Bothwell 102 15.44x
Carnwath 97 64.41x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 96 7.36x
Lesmahagow 95 36.88x
Preston 95 3.97x
Cambusnethan 79 14.60x
Hamilton 74 10.89x
Westoe 71 5.59x
New Monkland 69 9.58x
Aberdeen Old Machar 56 3.85x
Tranent 53 39.33x
Bradford 52 2.88x
Rowley Regis 51 7.20x
Bethnal Green London 48 1.47x
Manchester 46 1.14x
South Leith 46 4.05x
West Derby 46 1.76x
Lanark 44 22.45x
Gainsborough 43 15.15x
Liverpool 43 0.79x
Gateshead 42 2.50x
Old Monkland 41 4.24x
Wollescote 41 51.75x
Birmingham 38 0.60x
Blantyre 38 14.99x
Dundee 38 1.46x
Peterhead 38 10.30x
Ratho 37 78.64x
Shotts 37 12.70x
Salford 36 1.37x
Kirriemuir 35 20.33x
Camberwell 34 0.71x
Bishopwearmouth 33 1.72x
Kirkliston 33 49.89x
Whitburn 33 20.14x
Chesterfield 32 7.24x
Great Bolton 32 2.70x
Islington London 32 0.44x
Dalserf 31 12.76x
Dalziel 31 11.83x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 31 12.99x
Tipton 30 3.85x
Wandsworth 30 4.14x
Gradley 29 61.04x
Biggar 28 50.85x
Lye 28 17.11x
Maryhill 28 5.87x
St Pancras London 28 0.46x
Brighton 27 1.05x
Edinburgh Canongate 27 10.52x
Leeds 27 0.64x
Middleton In Oldham 27 10.08x
Windle 27 5.37x
Over Darwen 26 3.64x
Abbey 25 2.81x
Burley In Wharfdale 25 37.94x
Eastwood 25 6.96x
Woolwich 25 2.63x
Crawfordjohn 24 110.29x
Elswick 24 2.68x
Bathgate 23 9.34x
Everton 23 0.81x
Edinburgh St Stephens 22 11.08x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 22 2.27x
Newcastle On Tyne St 22 3.79x
Oldham 22 0.76x
Clitheroe 21 7.98x
Kensington London 21 0.50x
Thornton In Fylde 21 10.74x
Yeadon 21 12.46x
Dewsbury 20 2.61x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 20 28.62x
Kirkdale 20 1.33x
Old Deer 20 15.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 287
Elizabeth 157
Sarah 103
Jane 100
Margaret 99
Ann 68
Ellen 63
Hannah 55
Alice 54
Eliza 47
Emma 46
Annie 42
Isabella 35
Martha 32
Catherine 31
Edith 27
Emily 26
Lucy 21
Ada 20
Agnes 20
Harriet 20
Louisa 19
Maria 18
Caroline 15
Clara 15
Esther 14
Fanny 14
Florence 13
Jessie 13
Matilda 13
Nancy 12
Anne 11
Kate 11
Selina 11
Amelia 10
Charlotte 10
Eleanor 10
Frances 10
Lydia 10
Sophia 10
Susan 10
Barbara 9
Janet 9
Elizth. 8
Margret 8
Amy 7
Betsy 7
Dorothy 7
Harriett 7
Rebecca 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 275
William 234
James 162
Thomas 152
George 98
Robert 75
Joseph 74
Henry 67
Charles 63
Richard 54
Edward 41
Samuel 34
Alfred 27
Peter 27
David 24
Albert 23
Arthur 23
Walter 21
Andrew 19
Frederick 19
Frank 16
Alexander 15
Francis 15
Ernest 13
Harry 12
Benjamin 11
Wm. 11
Edwin 10
Matthew 9
Thos. 9
Daniel 8
Herbert 8
Edmund 6
Isaac 5
Stephen 5
Willm. 5
Doctor 4
Fred 4
Joshua 4
Mark 4
Noah 4
Roger 4
Wilfred 4
Archibald 3
J. 3
Jas. 3
Jeremiah 3
Owen 3
Sam. 3
Sidney 3

FAQ

Forrest surname: questions and answers

How common was the Forrest surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,756 people were recorded with the Forrest surname. That placed it at #549 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Forrest surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 11,007 in 2016. That gives Forrest a modern rank of #581.

What does the Forrest surname mean?

One who lived near or worked in a royal forest, derived from the Old French word "forest."

What does the Forrest map show?

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