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Show ContentsForrest History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The Forrest surname was no doubt taken on by someone who either lived in or near a forest, or perhaps worked in the forest. The Middle English word "forest" referred specifically to an area of woodland reserved by law as hunting grounds for the king or his nobles. No doubt, as a surname, Forrest would have appeared independently in various parts of Britain.

One source claims the name as Norman, descended from Forez, Normandy. There Guerard and Nicholas de Foresta of Normandy were found in 1198 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae). The source continues to note that William Forist held lands in Hampshire in the Domesday Book of 1086. 1 2

Early Origins of the Forrest family

The surname Forrest was first found in Northumberland, but early records include John Forester, listed in the Pipe Rolls of Surrey of 1183, and Richard le Forester listed in the Feet of Fines of Essex in 1240. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include: Petrus Forestarius, Jordan le Forester; and Nicholas le Forester. 4 There was also a Shropshire family of this name, who held custody of part of the Wrekin forest. An early record of this family lists a Hugh Forester as a witness 1187. 3

As a trade name, the family were traditional "officers made by letters patent under the great seal, and sworn to preserve vert and venison in the forest; and to attend upon the wild beasts within his bailiwick; to attach offenders there either in Vert or Venison, and to preserve the same at the courts of the Forest." 5

Early History of the Forrest family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Forrest research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1471, 1538, 1623, 1652, 1655, 1679, 1690, 1698, 1718, 1758, 1767 and 1828 are included under the topic Early Forrest History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Forrest Spelling Variations

The name Forrest, appeared in many references, and from time to time, the surname was spelt Forrester, Forester, Forrest, Forster, Foster, Forrestor and many more.

Early Notables of the Forrest family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

  • John Forrest (1471-1538), English friar and martyr

Forrest World Ranking

In the United States, the name Forrest is the 1,184th most popular surname with an estimated 24,870 people with that name. 6 However, in Australia, the name Forrest is ranked the 475th most popular surname with an estimated 7,949 people with that name. 7 And in New Zealand, the name Forrest is the 674th popular surname with an estimated 1,054 people with that name. 8 The United Kingdom ranks Forrest as 584th with 11,195 people. 9

Ireland Migration of the Forrest family to Ireland

Some of the Forrest family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Forrest migration to the United States +

The New World beckoned as many of the settlers in Ireland, known as the Scotch/Irish, became disenchanted. They sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. Some called them, less romantically, the "coffin ships." Amongst the early settlers who could be considered kinsmen of the Forrest family, or who bore a variation of the surname Forrest were

Forrest Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mrs. Forrest, (Forest), who arrived in Jamestown, Va in 1608 aboard the ship "Second Supply" 10
  • Thomas Forrest, (Forest), who arrived in Jamestown, Va in 1608 aboard the ship "Second Supply" 10
  • James Forrest, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1640 10
  • Patrick Forrest, who arrived in Maryland in 1648 10
  • Joseph Forrest, who landed in Virginia in 1650 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Forrest Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Ellen Forrest, who landed in Virginia in 1706 10
  • Anthony Forrest, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1758 10
  • Jean Forrest, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1763 10
  • Pierre Forrest, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1763 10
Forrest Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William Forrest, who arrived in America in 1800 10
  • Robert Forrest, who arrived in New York in 1813 10
  • Michael Forrest, who arrived in Mississippi in 1831 10
  • Agnes Currie Forrest, who arrived in New York in 1839 10
  • John Forrest, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1840 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Forrest migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Forrest Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • James Forrest, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
  • John Forrest, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Ms. Laurania Forrest U.E. (née Morden) who settled in Home District [York County], Ontario c. 1786 widow of Mathew Forrest 11
Forrest Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Forrest, aged 25, who landed in Quebec in 1833
  • Jane Forrest, aged 30, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Ambassador" in 1834
  • James Forrest, aged 6, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Ambassador" in 1834
  • Mary Ann Forrest, aged 4, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Ambassador" in 1834
  • William Forrest, aged 1, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Ambassador" in 1834
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Forrest Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • Miss J Forrest, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907

Australia Forrest migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Forrest Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Forrest, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for life, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" in May 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
  • Mr. William Forrest, (b. 1805), aged 22, Scottish gardener who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 14 years for burglary, transported aboard the "Champion" on 24th May 1827, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1866 13
  • Mary Ann Forrest, English convict from York, who was transported aboard the "America" on December 30, 1830, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 14
  • Miss Ann Forrest who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Edward" on 23rd April 1834, arriving in Tasmania, (Van Diemen's Land) 15
  • Miss Catherine Forrest, (b. 1821), aged 16, Irish nursery maid who was convicted in Cork, Ireland for 7 years for robbery, transported aboard the "Diamond" on 29th November 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1874 16
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Forrest migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Forrest Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Mary Forrest, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Harwood" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 4th November 1858 17
  • Miss Jessie Forrest, Scottish settler from Morningside travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Strathfieldsaye" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 29th April 1858 18
  • Mr. Robert Forrest, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Bruce" arriving in Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand on 12th September 1860 17
  • Mr. James Forrest, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Evening Star" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 14th October 1860 17
  • Mr. Alfred Forrest, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Evening Star" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 14th October 1860 17
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Forrest (post 1700) +

  • Frederic Fenimore Forrest Jr. (1936-2023), American Academy and Golden Globe Award nominated actor, best known for his performance in When the Legends Die (1972)
  • Danielle J. Forrest (b. 1977), American jurist, United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (2019-)
  • Edwin Forrest (1806-1872), American Shakespearean actor whose feud with the British actor William Charles Macready helped spark the deadly Astor Place Riot of 1849
  • Brigadier-General Nathan Bedford Forrest (1905-1943), American Technical Observer, 402nd Provisional Combat Wing (1943) 19
  • Sergeant Arthur J. Forrest (1896-1964), American soldier awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery
  • Jay W. Forrest, American politician, Representative from New York 28th District, 1912 20
  • James Forrest, American politician, Presidential Elector for Maryland, 1820 20
  • George Frank Forrest (b. 1870), American politician, Mayor of Juneau, Alaska, 1901-02, 1904-05, 1907-08 20
  • George Forrest, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Arkansas, 1996, 2000 (alternate) 20
  • Charles P. Forrest, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Kings County 10th District, 1904 20
  • ... (Another 24 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Halifax Explosion
  • Mr. John  Forrest (1866-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who survived the Halifax Explosion (1917) but later died due to injuries 21
HMS Cornwall
  • James Carlyle Forrest (d. 1942), British Able Seaman aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 22
HMS Hood
  • Mr. Victor Forrest (b. 1920), English Petty Officer Steward serving for the Royal Navy from Lower Stratton, Wiltshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 23
  • Mr. George M D Forrest (b. 1919), English Wireman serving for the Royal Navy from Newcastle, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 23
  • Mr. Ernest W Forrest (b. 1914), English Writer serving for the Royal Navy from Liverpool, Lancashire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 23
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. John Forrest, English Fireman from Bootle, Lancashire, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 24

Suggested Readings for the name Forrest +

  • The Browns and Forrests of Scotland, Who Came to Tennessee at the End of the Nineteenth Century, and Their Family by Forrest David Brown.
  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  8. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  9. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  10. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  11. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
  13. Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 18th January 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/champion
  14. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 26) America voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1830 with 135 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/america/1830
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th January 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/edward
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Diamond
  17. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  18. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  19. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, February 29) Nathan Forrest. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Forrest/Nathan_Bedford/USA.html
  20. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  21. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  22. Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
  23. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  24. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 10) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
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