UK surname
A habitational surname derived from a place name referring to a wooded area or forest.
In the 1881 census there were 5 people recorded with the Forsten surname, ranking it #33,110 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3, ranked #38,594, down from #33,110 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Newcastle All Saints and Doncaster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Forsten is 123 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 40.0%.
1881 census count
5
Ranked #33,110
Modern count
3
2016, ranked #38,594
Peak year
1861
123 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Forsten surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Forsten surname density by area, 1861 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 | 22 | #29,378 |
| 1861 | historical | 123 | #17,914 |
| 1881 | historical | 5 | #33,110 |
| 1891 | historical | 36 | #31,465 |
| 1901 | historical | 14 | #32,506 |
| 1911 | historical | 33 | #29,703 |
| 1997 | modern | 3 | #38,317 |
| 1998 | modern | 3 | #38,304 |
| 1999 | modern | 3 | #38,318 |
| 2000 | modern | 3 | #38,248 |
| 2001 | modern | 3 | #38,091 |
| 2002 | modern | 5 | #37,723 |
| 2003 | modern | 7 | #37,397 |
| 2004 | modern | 8 | #37,346 |
| 2005 | modern | 3 | #38,312 |
| 2006 | modern | 3 | #38,334 |
| 2007 | modern | 3 | #38,372 |
| 2008 | modern | 4 | #38,216 |
| 2009 | modern | 3 | #38,494 |
| 2010 | modern | 3 | #38,552 |
| 2011 | modern | 3 | #38,546 |
| 2012 | modern | 3 | #38,530 |
| 2013 | modern | 3 | #38,526 |
| 2014 | modern | 3 | #38,552 |
| 2015 | modern | 3 | #38,558 |
| 2016 | modern | 3 | #38,594 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Newcastle All Saints, Doncaster, St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford and Brancepeth. 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 | Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside | Durham |
| 2 | Newcastle All Saints | Northumberland |
| 3 | Doncaster | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 4 | St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | Brancepeth | Durham |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Forsten 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 Forsten, 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 Forsten surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Forsten 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, Forsten 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 Forsten is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Forsten, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Forsten is believed to have originated in Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden and Norway, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "forst," meaning "waterfall" or "rapid stream." This suggests that the name may have originated as a topographic descriptor, referring to someone who lived near a waterfall or a fast-flowing river.
One of the earliest known records of the name Forsten can be found in the Swedish census records from the 16th century. In these records, the name is spelled in various ways, including "Forsten," "Forstaen," and "Forstenn." This variation in spelling was common during that time, as standardized spelling conventions had not yet been established.
In the 17th century, the name Forsten appeared in several historical documents, such as church records and land registries, in various parts of Sweden and Norway. One notable mention is in the records of the Swedish city of Göteborg (Gothenburg), where a man named Erik Forsten is listed as a merchant and landowner in the year 1642.
The name Forsten has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Johan Forsten, a Swedish military officer who fought in the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). Another notable figure was Lars Forsten, a Norwegian explorer and naturalist who participated in several expeditions to the Arctic regions in the late 18th century.
In the 19th century, the name Forsten gained prominence in the field of academia. Karl Forsten (1819-1891) was a Swedish linguist and philologist who made significant contributions to the study of Old Norse and Icelandic literature. Nils Forsten (1842-1912) was a Finnish-Swedish architect known for designing several notable buildings in Helsinki, including the National Museum of Finland.
Another notable bearer of the name was Axel Forsten (1872-1945), a Swedish painter and illustrator who was part of the Konstnärsförbundet (Artists' Association) in Stockholm. His works often depicted landscapes and scenes from rural Sweden.
While the surname Forsten is not as common today as it once was, it continues to be found in various parts of Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden and Norway, as well as among individuals of Scandinavian descent living in other parts of the world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Forsten 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. Yorkshire leads with 5 Forstens recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.40x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 5 | 10.40x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eston in Yorkshire leads with 5 Forstens recorded in 1881 and an index of 5000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Eston | 5 | 5000.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Forsten 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 Forsten 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 Forsten households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 3 |
| Engine Driver | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 5 people were recorded with the Forsten surname. That placed it at #33,110 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 3 in 2016. That gives Forsten a modern rank of #38,594.
A habitational surname derived from a place name referring to a wooded area or forest.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Forsten 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.