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Förster History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Förster History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
England
Germany
Scotland

The ancestral home of the Förster family is in the German state of Bavaria. The name Förster is an occupational hereditary surname, a type of surname that was taken from a word describing or common to the profession of the original bearer. It is a name for a person whose occupation is forestry, or a person who lives near a forest.

Early Origins of the Förster family

The surname Förster was first found in Bavaria, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation.

Early History of the Förster family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Förster research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1508, 1616, 1673, 1729, 1791, 1798, 1823, 1868 and 1869 are included under the topic Early Förster History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Förster Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Förster include Forster, Foerster, Forstern, Forstner and others.

Early Notables of the Förster family

Prominent among members of the name Förster in this period include

Kaspar Förster (also Caspar Foerster) (1616-1673), a German singer and composer

Förster World Ranking

In the United States, the name Förster is the 4,558^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1 However, in Australia, the name Förster is ranked the 532^nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,278 people with that name. 2 And in New Zealand, the name Förster is the 811^st popular surname with an estimated 900 people with that name. 3 The United Kingdom ranks Förster as 526^th with 12,527 people. 4

Förster migration to the United States +

Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Förster or a variant listed above:

Förster Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Josias Forster, aged 43, who arrived in Bermuda, (Somers Islands) in 1635 aboard the ship "Truelove" 5
Richard Forster, who landed in Maryland in 1653 5
Richard, Forster Jr., who arrived in Maryland in 1653 5
Ann Forster, who arrived in Maryland in 1653 5
Jane Forster, who arrived in Maryland in 1653 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Förster Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Peter Forster, who arrived in New Jersey in 1709 5
Johan Mike] Forster, who landed in New York in 1709 5
Johan Georg Forster, who arrived in New York, NY in 1710 5
Hans Michael Forster, who settled in Philadelphia in 1727
Johan Jac Forster, aged 30, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1741 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Förster Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Forster, who landed in America in 1806 5
Elnr Forster, who landed in America in 1806 5
Francis Forster, who landed in Maryland in 1807 5
Frederick Forster, who arrived in Mississippi in 1839 5
Andra Forster, who landed in New York, NY in 1843 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Förster Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Bertha Forster, who arrived in Colorado in 1903 5

Förster migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Förster Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mrs. Forster, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1778

Förster Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Miss. Wilhelmine Forster, aged 2 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Canton" departing 20th June 1847 from Bremen, Germany; the ship arrived on 7th August 1847 but she died on board 6

Förster migration to Australia +

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

Förster Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Forster, British Convict who was convicted in Northumberland, England for life, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 11th August 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7
Mr. George Forster, British convict who was convicted in Northumberland, England for 7 years for forgery, transported aboard the "Competitor"18th March 1823, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
Joseph Forster, English convict from Staffordshire, who was transported aboard the "Albion" on September 21, 1826, settling in New South Wales, Australia 9
Mr. John Forster, British convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bussorah Merchant" on 1st October 1829, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
Mr. Samuel Forster, (Foster) who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Camden" on 21st March 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Förster 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:

Förster Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

James Rumsey Forster, aged 22, a bookseller, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1841 12
John Forster, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Whitby" in 1841
Lucy Forster, aged 21, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Lloyds" in 1842
Richard Forster, aged 18, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ambrosine" in 1860 13
Holman Forster, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Queen of Beauty" in 1863
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Förster (post 1700) +

Nora Maier Forster (1942-2023), née Maier, a German-British publishing heiress, actress and model who was primarily known as a music promoter who worked in West Germany with Jimi Hendrix, Wishbone Ash and Yes, wife of John Lydon of the Sex Pistols
Johann Georg Adam Forster (1754-1794), Polish-born naturalist, ethnologist, travel writer, journalist, and revolutionary; he accompanied his father on several scientific expeditions, including James Cook's second voyage to the Pacific
Robert Forster (1941-2019), American actor nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1997 for Jackie Brown
William Forster (1784-1854), English-born, American preacher, Quaker elder and a fervent abolitionist, an early member of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society in 1839
Brigadier-General George Jacob Forster (1891-1979), American Assistant Commanding General 66th Division (1944-1945) 14
John Forster (b. 1948), American folk musician
George J. Forster (1905-1988), American politician, Mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, 1950-55 15
George H. Forster, American Democratic Party politician, Member of New York State Senate 11th District, 1880-81; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1888 15
George Forster, American Democratic Party politician, Mayor of Rockville, Connecticut, 1904-11, 1929; Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Vernon; Elected 1908 15
Dianna Forster, American Republican politician, Member of Michigan Republican State Central Committee, 1979 15
... (Another 29 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Förster family +

Bismarck

Georg Forster (1921-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 16

HMS Hood

Mr. Frederick G Forster (b. 1919), English Engine Room Artificer 4th Class serving for the Royal Navy from Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 17

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Thomas Forster, British Engine Room Artificer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 18
Mr. Stanley Arnold Forster (1925-1943), English Able Seaman from England, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales and survived the sinking, died whilst a Prisoner of War in 1943 18

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=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)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 76)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/competitor
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Albion voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1826 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/albion/1826
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bussorah-merchant
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 2nd December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/camden
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, February 29) George Forster. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Forster/George_Jacob/USA.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
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
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html