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| Origins Available: |
| | England |
The ancient and distinguished surname Forzer is of Old English origin. It is derived from "fosseg," meaning "dweller by the low-lying land near a dyke."
The surname Forzer was first found in Durham, where the family was anciently seated as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed, but Saxon surnames survived and the name was first referenced in the 13th century, when the family held estates in that county.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Forzer research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1650, 1679, 1681, 1683 and 1705 are included under the topic Early Forzer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Forzer has appeared include Forser, Forzer, Fouser, Fourzer, Forcer, Forsar, Forzar, Fousse, Foussard, Fors, Forse, Forsberg, Fosse, Forsey, Forsay and many more.
Distinguished members of the family include Francis Forcer the Elder (1650?-1705?), an English composer. He " is mentioned by Hawkins as the writer of many songs, five of which may be found in Playford's 'Choyce Ayres and Dialogues,' bk. ii. 1679, one in the edition of 1681, and...
Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Forzer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Forzer arrived in North America very early: Jeremiah Forsey, who settled in Maryland in 1658; Robert Forsay, who was granted land in Virginia in 1691; Eliza Forse, a bonded emigrant from London to Maryland in 1743.