Forseth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The ancient Pictish-Scottish name Forseth comes from the old Gaelic personal name Fearsithe, which means man of peace. 1

However, some recorded examples of the surname Forseth suggest that it is occasionally a local name derived from residence a place named Forsythe.

There appears to be two origins for the family: Stirlingshire and Edinburghshire. 1 Another source claims the family came from "Forcett (whence also Fawcett) a township in the wapentake of Gillingwest, in the [North Riding] of Yorkshire," 2 but this source's claim is doubtful.

Early Origins of the Forseth family

The surname Forseth was first found in Stirlingshire, where "Osbert filius Forsyth [who] had charter of a hundred shilling land in the tenement of Salakhill (now Sauchie), sheriffdom of Stirling, from Robert I c. 1308." 3

The Edinburghshire's first entry was that of "William de Fersith, bailie of Edinburgh, 1365, [who] may be William of Forsythe, servant of Aleyn of Bollone of Edinburgh, merchant of Scotland, 1394." 3

Early History of the Forseth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Forseth research. Another 278 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1364, 1368, 1402, 1405, 1418, 1420, 1423, 1424, 1426, 1428, 1439, 1446, 1451, 1452, 1461, 1471, 1487, 1497, 1498, 1504, 1512, 1525, 1621, 1890, 1929 and 1980 are included under the topic Early Forseth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Forseth Spelling Variations

Scribes in the Middle Ages did not have access to a set of spelling rules. They spelled according to sound, the result was a great number of spelling variations. In various documents, Forseth has been spelled Forsyth, Forsythe, Forseyth, Forsy, Foursides and others.

Early Notables of the Forseth family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was William de Fersith, who participated at an inquest in Edinbergh, 1402. He may be William Fersith (without 'de'), who was burgess of Edinbergh in 1423. Thomas of Forsythe was listed in Edinburgh, 1439. Robert of Forsythe had a safe conduct in England...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Forseth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Forseth family to Ireland

Some of the Forseth family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Forseth migration to the United States +

The cruelties suffered under the new government forced many to leave their ancient homeland for the freedom of the North American colonies. Those who arrived safely found land, freedom, and opportunity for the taking. These hardy settlers gave their strength and perseverance to the young nations that would become the United States and Canada. Immigration and passenger lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the name Forseth:

Forseth Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Gilbert Forseth, who landed in Wisconsin in 1913 4

The Forseth Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Instaurator ruinae
Motto Translation: A repairer of ruin.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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)