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An excerpt from www.HouseOfNames.com archives copyright © 2000 - 2012

Origins Available: English, Scottish

Where did the Scottish Forrest family come from? What is the Scottish Forrest family crest and coat of arms? When did the Forrest family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the Forrest family history?

In the ancient Scottish-English border region, the ancestors of the name Forrest lived among the Boernicians. They lived in areas near or inside a forest. Some research suggests that the surname is also a shortened form of Forester. The Middle English word forest referred specifically to an area of woodland reserved by law as hunting grounds for the king or his nobles. As such, the surname, Forrest would have appeared independently in various parts of Britain.

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Spelling rules only evolved in the last few centuries with the invention of the printing press and the first dictionaries. Spelling variations are extremely common in names from before that period. Forrest has been spelled Forrester, Forester, Forrest, Forster, Foster, Forrestor and many more.

First found in Northumberland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. 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. 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.


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This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Forrest research. Another 205 words(15 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1390, 1633, and 1654 are included under the topic Early Forrest History in all our PDF Extended History products.

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Another 24 words(2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Forrest Notables in all our PDF Extended History products.

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Some of the Forrest family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 246 words(18 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products.

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After making their great crossing, many Boernician-Scottish families settled along the east coast of North America. When the War of Independence broke out, United Empire Loyalists moved north to Canada while the rest stayed to fight. The ancestors of many of these Scots still populate the continent. This century, through Clan societies and other Scottish organizations, they began to rediscover their collective national heritage. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Forrest or a variant listed above:

Forrest Settlers in the United States in the 17th Century


  • Mrs. Forrest, who arrived in Jamestown, Va in 1607
  • Thomas Forrest, who arrived in Jamestown, Va in 1607
  • James Forrest, who arrived in Boston, Mass in 1640
  • Patrick Forrest, who arrived in Maryland in 1648
  • Joseph Forrest, who landed in Virginia in 1650


Forrest Settlers in the United States in the 18th Century


  • Ellen Forrest, who landed in Virginia in 1706
  • Anthony Forrest, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1758
  • Jean Forrest, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1763
  • Pierre Forrest, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1763

Forrest Settlers in the United States in the 19th Century


  • William Forrest, who arrived in America in 1800
  • Robert Forrest, who arrived in New York in 1813
  • Michael Forrest, who arrived in Mississippi in 1831
  • Agnes Currie Forrest, who arrived in New York in 1839
  • John Forrest, who landed in Charleston, SC in 1840


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  • Sergeant Arthur J. Forrest (1896-1964), American soldier awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery
  • Edwin Forrest (1806-1872), American actor
  • Frederic Fenimore Forrest Jr. (b. 1936), Academy Award-nominated American actor
  • George Forrest (1873-1932), Scottish botanist and plant collector
  • Paula Forrest (b. 1965), Australian actress
  • John Forrest (1847-1918), Australian explorer
  • Craig Lorne Forrest (b. 1967), Canadian soccer commentator and a former goalkeeper
  • George Forrest (1800-1859), Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross
  • Jimmy Forrest (1864-1925), Blackburn Rovers and England footballer
  • Peter James Forrest (b. 1985), Australian professional cricketer


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  • The Browns and Forrests of Scotland, Who Came to Tennessee at the End of the Nineteenth Century, and Their Family by Forrest David Brown.
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  1. Paul, Sir James Balfour. An Ordinary of Arms Contained in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland Second Edition. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1903. Print.
  2. Adam, Frank. Clans Septs and Regiments of the Scottish Highlands 8th Edition. London: Bacon (G.W.) & Co, 1970. Print. (ISBN 10-0717945006).
  3. Bradford, William. History of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647 Edited by Samuel Eliot Morrison 2 Volumes. New York: Russell and Russell, 1968. Print.
  4. Le Patourel, John. The Norman Empire. New York: Oxford University Press, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-19-822525-3).
  5. Innes, Thomas and Learney. Socts Heraldry A Practical Handbook on the Historical Principles and Modern Application of the Art of Science. London: Oliver and Boyd, 1934. Print.
  6. Barrow, G.W.S Ed. The Charters of David I The Written Acts of David I King of Scots, 1124-53 and of His Son Henry, Earl of Northumerland, 1139-52. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 1999. Print.
  7. Holt, J.C. Ed. Domesday Studies. Woodbridge: Boydell, 1987. Print. (ISBN 0-85115-477-8).
  8. Colletta, John P. They Came In Ships. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1993. Print.
  9. Burke, Sir Bernard. Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage and Baronetage, The Privy Council, Knightage and Compainonage. London: Burke Publishing, 1921. Print.
  10. Prebble, John. The Highland Clearances. London: Secker & Warburg, 1963. Print.
  11. ...

The Forrest Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Forrest Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 23 November 2011 at 20:46.

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