Forbes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  Scotland 
  Ireland 
  England 


The ancestors of the first family to use the name Forbes lived among the ancient Scottish people called the Picts. The Forbes family lived in the lands of Forbes on Aberdeenshire where the family's history dates back before 1000 AD

Early Origins of the Forbes family

The surname Forbes was first found in Aberdeenshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen, located in the Grampian region of northeastern Scotland, at Pitscottie from 1168, which was later named "the Braes of Forbes."

Legend has it that the founder of the Clan, Oconochar, slew a bear in order to take up residence there. One of the first records of the name from this region was Duncan de Forbeys who received a grant of lands c. 1272 from King Alexander III. Later, John de Fernboys was listed as rendering allegiance to King Edward I of England in 1296 and later still, William of Forbace was canon of Aberdeen in 1464. 1

Early History of the Forbes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Forbes research. Another 159 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1165, 1214, 1380, 1448, 1581, 1590, 1611, 1623, 1626, 1629, 1632, 1644, 1671, 1680, 1684, 1685, 1696, 1704, 1712, 1747 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Forbes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Forbes Spelling Variations

In the Middle ages, spelling and translation were not yet regulated by any general rules. spelling variations in names were common even among members of one family unit. Forbes has appeared Forbes, Forbose, Forbess, Forbeis (Gaelic) and others.

Early Notables of the Forbes family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

Forbes World Ranking

In the United States, the name Forbes is the 983rd most popular surname with an estimated 29,844 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Forbes is ranked the 529th most popular surname with an estimated 9,258 people with that name. 3 And in Australia, the name Forbes is the 391st popular surname with an estimated 9,432 people with that name. 4 New Zealand ranks Forbes as 361st with 1,769 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Forbes as 482nd with 13,383 people. 6

Migration of the Forbes family to Ireland

Some of the Forbes family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 134 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Forbes migration to the United States +

Faced by this persecution and the generally unstable political climate of those days, many Scots chose to leave their homeland for Ireland, Australia, and North America in search of greater opportunity and freedom. The colonies across the Atlantic were the most popular choice, but a passage there was neither cheap nor easily suffered. Passengers arrived sick and poor, but those who made it intact often found land and more tolerant societies in which to live. These brave settlers formed the backbone of the burgeoning nations of Canada and the United States. It is only this century that the ancestors of these families have begun to recover their collective identity through the patriotic highland games and Clan societies that have sprung up throughout North America. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Forbes:

Forbes Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Forbes Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Forbes Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Forbes migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Forbes Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Forbes Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Forbes migration to Australia +

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

Forbes Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Forbes 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:

Forbes Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Forbes (post 1700) +


Suggested Readings for the name Forbes +
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