NameCensus.

UK surname

Forth

A surname derived from a location bearing that name, likely referring to a river crossing.

In the 1881 census there were 736 people recorded with the Forth surname, ranking it #4,976 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 925, ranked #6,172, down from #4,976 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, York and Selby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Forth is 1,015 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.7%.

1881 census count

736

Ranked #4,976

Modern count

925

2016, ranked #6,172

Peak year

1911

1,015 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Forth had 736 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,976 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 925 in 2016, ranked #6,172.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,015 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Forth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Forth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Forth 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 615 #4,197
1861 historical 893 #3,099
1881 historical 736 #4,976
1891 historical 918 #4,503
1901 historical 990 #4,805
1911 historical 1,015 #4,487
1997 modern 934 #5,797
1998 modern 953 #5,884
1999 modern 969 #5,856
2000 modern 938 #5,991
2001 modern 924 #5,959
2002 modern 941 #5,977
2003 modern 934 #5,916
2004 modern 929 #5,931
2005 modern 914 #5,953
2006 modern 893 #6,081
2007 modern 886 #6,157
2008 modern 902 #6,124
2009 modern 939 #6,051
2010 modern 943 #6,158
2011 modern 944 #6,094
2012 modern 895 #6,274
2013 modern 917 #6,261
2014 modern 930 #6,229
2015 modern 931 #6,173
2016 modern 925 #6,172

Geography

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Where Forths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity, Manchester and Crowland. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk, York, Selby, Newark and Sherwood and County Durham. 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 1
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Crowland Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 016 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 York 015 York
3 Selby 007 Selby
4 Newark and Sherwood 001 Newark and Sherwood
5 County Durham 015 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Forth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Forth

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

Forth is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Forth 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 Forth 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 Forth, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Forth

The surname FORTH is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "ford," which referred to a shallow place in a river or stream where it could be crossed. This suggests that the name may have originally been given to someone who lived near a ford or river crossing.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname FORTH can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Forde" in this historical document, reflecting the Old English spelling.

In the 13th century, the surname is recorded as "Forth" in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire and Berkshire. This spelling variation likely emerged due to the influence of the Middle English pronunciation of the word "ford."

During the medieval period, the surname FORTH was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Wiltshire, suggesting that the name may have originated in these regions of southern England.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname FORTH was John Forth (c. 1610-1685), an English Puritan minister and author. He served as the rector of Ingrave in Essex and wrote several theological works, including "The Doubting Christian Resolved" and "The Vade Mecum for the Learned and Unlearned."

Another individual of note was William Forth (1679-1748), an English mathematician and astronomer. He held the position of Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at the University of Cambridge and made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.

In the 19th century, Richard Forth (1808-1891) was a prominent English architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas. His most notable designs include St. Peter's Church in Eaton Square and the Marylebone Vestry Hall.

George Forth (1839-1901) was a Scottish landscape painter and etcher who gained recognition for his depictions of rural scenes and landscapes in Scotland and England. His works were exhibited at the Royal Academy and other prestigious galleries during his lifetime.

The surname FORTH has also been associated with places such as Ford in Buckinghamshire, originally recorded as "Forde" in the Domesday Book, and Fordwich in Kent, derived from the Old English "Ford-wic" meaning "ford village." These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and its geographical origins near river crossings or fords.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Forth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Forth 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. Yorkshire leads with 278 Forths recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.91x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 278 3.91x
Lancashire 75 0.88x
Middlesex 58 0.81x
Durham 47 2.20x
Lincolnshire 46 4.01x
Kent 35 1.43x
Gloucestershire 33 2.34x
Norfolk 20 1.81x
Leicestershire 18 2.26x
Northamptonshire 18 2.67x
Surrey 18 0.51x
Northumberland 17 1.59x
Nottinghamshire 13 1.34x
Warwickshire 8 0.44x
Cambridgeshire 7 1.54x
Wiltshire 7 1.10x
Midlothian 6 0.62x
Worcestershire 5 0.53x
Cheshire 4 0.25x
Derbyshire 4 0.36x
Staffordshire 4 0.17x
Shropshire 3 0.48x
Bedfordshire 2 0.54x
Berkshire 2 0.37x
Essex 2 0.14x
Sussex 2 0.17x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.23x
Glamorgan 1 0.08x
Hampshire 1 0.07x
Somerset 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity in Yorkshire leads with 30 Forths recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.53x.

Place Total Index
Holy Trinity 30 17.53x
Crowland 27 375.00x
Manchester 25 6.53x
Copmanthorpe 17 2236.84x
Hilgay 14 337.35x
Sculcoates 13 11.52x
Dover St James 11 102.52x
Eye 11 340.56x
Chelsea London 10 4.62x
Islington London 10 1.44x
Ruswarp 10 126.42x
Salford 10 3.99x
Walton In Wetherby 10 2083.33x
Cheltenham 9 8.28x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 6.65x
Dover St Mary Virgin 9 37.96x
Hulme 9 5.06x
North Duffield 9 978.26x
Ripon 9 54.51x
Sherburn 9 138.46x
Acaster Malbis 8 1230.77x
Basford 8 17.94x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 6.03x
Dringhouses 8 695.65x
Great Lumley 8 218.58x
Leicester St Margaret 8 4.12x
Middlesbrough 8 8.63x
Pittington 8 133.11x
Pocklington 8 119.05x
Sledmere Cum Croom 8 645.16x
Belgrave 7 38.95x
Brandon Byshottles 7 26.16x
Burnley 7 9.76x
Lambeth 7 1.12x
Slingsby 7 476.19x
Spotland 7 7.39x
Sutton St Mary 7 64.46x
Whitby 7 29.19x
Ainderby Quernhow 6 2068.97x
Aston 6 1.20x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 1.55x
Heslington St Paul 6 1090.91x
Kensington London 6 1.50x
Little Rissington 6 1052.63x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 6 9.40x
Shoreditch London 6 1.93x
St Giles In Fields London 6 17.04x
Tewkesbury 6 47.73x
Ashford 5 20.96x
Battersea 5 1.89x
Carperby Cum Thoresby 5 675.68x
Darlington 5 6.06x
Sandal Magna 5 47.53x
Stourbridge 5 20.73x
Thorney 5 99.01x
Tynemouth 5 8.74x
Upwell 5 97.28x
York All Sts North 5 142.05x
York St Mary 5 16.97x
Beverley St Martin 4 33.67x
Bourton On The Water 4 139.37x
Chippenham 4 30.03x
Cosgrove 4 256.41x
Haxby 4 289.86x
Letwell 4 1379.31x
Long Eaton 4 26.95x
Nettleham 4 170.21x
Ruswarp Hawsker Cum 4 227.27x
Sewerby Cum Marton 4 296.30x
Thirsk 4 48.72x
Wigginton 4 404.04x
Willesborough 4 60.70x
Broughton In Salford 3 3.85x
Castleford 3 11.58x
Congleton 3 10.96x
Marton 3 277.78x
Seaton Delaval 3 31.98x
Shrewsbury St Chad 3 13.78x
St Luke London 3 2.61x
York St Andrew 3 434.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 55
Sarah 27
Elizabeth 22
Jane 18
Ann 13
Annie 12
Emma 12
Eliza 11
Hannah 8
Louisa 8
Alice 7
Emily 7
Harriet 7
Charlotte 6
Martha 6
Florence 5
Margaret 5
Anne 4
Dorothy 4
Edith 4
Ellen 4
Matilda 4
Rebecca 4
Ada 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Harriett 3
Isabella 3
Kate 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Beatrice 2
Cora 2
Elizth. 2
Georgina 2
Jemima 2
Julia 2
Lizzie 2
Maud 2
May 2
Nellie 2
Selina 2
Sophia 2
Amy 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Eleen 1
Elezabeth 1
Tillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 65
John 51
George 44
Thomas 23
James 14
Robert 14
Charles 13
Joseph 11
Alfred 10
Henry 9
Francis 8
Richard 8
Arthur 7
Harry 7
Frederick 5
Walter 5
Edward 4
Frank 4
Ernest 3
Tom 3
Abraham 2
Clarence 2
David 2
Douglas 2
Eli 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Jacob 2
Michael 2
Samuel 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Alexander 1
Arnold 1
Crathie 1
Eustace 1
Evan 1
Florace 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Jas. 1
Harrold 1
Js. 1
Lionel 1
Luise 1
Marshall 1
Mathias 1
Oswald 1
Peter 1
Reginald 1
Woodbine 1

FAQ

Forth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Forth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 736 people were recorded with the Forth surname. That placed it at #4,976 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Forth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 925 in 2016. That gives Forth a modern rank of #6,172.

What does the Forth surname mean?

A surname derived from a location bearing that name, likely referring to a river crossing.

What does the Forth map show?

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