| ![Show Contents]() Forbis History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of ForbisWhat does the name Forbis mean? The annals of Scottish history reveal that Forbis was first used as a name by ancestors of the Pictish tribe of ancient Scotland. The Forbis family lived in the lands of Forbes on Aberdeenshire where the family's history dates back before 1000 AD Forbis Coat of Arms CreationThere are various guesses as to the origin of this name. One writer says that a gentleman who, wishing to secure the hand of a lady named "Bess," showed his courage by slaying a ferocious bear, and on being asked why he did it, replied, "For Bess." Another version is that the founder of the family of Forbes was a man named Bois, who received lands from an early king of Scotland, who, in making the gift, said they were "for Bois." Others say the word is derived from the Gaelic word Ferbasach-a bold man. In any case, the progenitor of the family must have had something to do with bears, as the various branches carry bear's heads in their shields. The bear is a cruel and fierce animal, and in armorial bearings represents a man that had over-come a cruel and vicious enemy. Dr William Mackay, in his "History of Urquhart and Glenmoriston,"says that Conacher of Ulster was the progenitor of the families of Forbes, Mackay, and Urquhart; and in allusion to his wonderful feat of killing a wild boar of extraordinary ferocity and strength the three families in after years adopted the boar's head as their arms. Clans did sometimes change their crest, but though the Urquharts still have the boar's head and the motto, "Mean, speak, and doe well," the Forbes and the Mackays have certainly changed theirs. 1 Early Origins of the Forbis familyThe surname Forbis 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. 2 Early History of the Forbis familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Forbis 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 Forbis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Forbis Spelling VariationsBefore the first dictionaries appeared in the last few hundred years, scribes spelled according to sound. spelling variations are common among Scottish names. Forbis has been spelled Forbes, Forbose, Forbess, Forbeis (Gaelic) and others. Early Notables of the Forbis familyAlexander de Forbes, (c. 1380-1448) 1st Lord Forbes, progenitor of the lordship. He was "the eldest son of Sir John de Forbes of that ilk. The lands of Forbes in Aberdeenshire gave name to the family, who trace back their ancestors in it to the time of King William the Lion (1165-1214). Sir John de Forbes was justiciar and coroner for Aberdeenshire...
Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Forbis Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Forbis Rankingthe United States, the name Forbis is the 9,242nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3 Migration of the Forbis family to IrelandSome of the Forbis 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.
| Forbis migration to the United States | + |
In those unstable times, many had no choice but to leave their beloved homelands. Sickness and poverty hounded travelers to North America, but those who made it were welcomed with land and opportunity. These settlers gave the young nations of Canada and the United States a strong backbone as they stood up for their beliefs as United Empire Loyalists and in the American War of Independence. In this century, the ancestors of these brave Scots have begun to recover their illustrious heritage through Clan societies and other heritage organizations. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Scottish settlers bearing the name Forbis:
Forbis Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- John Forbis, who landed in Maryland in 1674 4
- William Forbis, who arrived in Maryland in 1679 4
Forbis Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Henry Forbis, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 4
Forbis Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- William P Forbis, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1851 4
| Contemporary Notables of the name Forbis (post 1700) | + |
- Christopher Forbis, American animation script writer and voice actor
- Amanda Forbis, Canadian animator who with her partner Wendy Tilby, received their second Academy Award nomination in 2012, known for thier work on When the Day Breaks (1999), Wild Life (2011) and United Airlines: The Meeting (2006)
| Historic Events for the Forbis family | + |
- Mr. James L. Forbis, American Coxswain working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking 5
| Forbis Motto and War Cry | + |
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: Grace me guide
War Cry: "Leonach"
War Cry Description: Significance - a hill in Strathdon
- Polson, Alexander, The Romance of Scottish Crests and Mottoes. Inverness: Walter Alexander, Inglis Street 1929. 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)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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)
- Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
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