Show ContentsFormen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Formen family

The surname Formen was first found in Yorkshire where the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included some of the first listings of the family: Ricardus Forman; Johannes Forman; and Robertus Formain. All held estates there at that time. 1

However, another source notes that Alan Forman and Robert Fourman were both listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1327. 2

Due to Yorkshire's geographic proximity to Scotland, its very probable that records there would reveal more family records. In Scotland, the name is "perhaps from English Forman (13th century), older Formann, Latinized Formannus. Robert Foreman of Edinburghshire rendered homage, [to King Edward I of England] in 1296. Adam Forman was scutifer to Arnchibald, earl of Douglas, 1426. John Forman witnessed sealing of an inquest anent a fishing on the Tweed, 1467, and in 1474 payment was made to John Forman, Scottish merchant." 3

Early History of the Formen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Formen research. Another 167 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1465, 1501, 1504, 1513, 1514, 1521, 1522, 1539, 1552, 1562, 1611, 1696, 1743 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Formen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Formen Spelling Variations

During the era when a person's name, tribe and posterity was one of his most important possessions, many different spellings were found in the archives examined. Formen occurred in many references, and spelling variations of the name found included Forman, Foreman, Formon, Fourman and others.

Early Notables of the Formen family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Andrew Forman (c.1465-11 March 1522), a Scottish diplomat and prelate. He rose to become Archbishop of St. Andrews, and is said to have been one of the Formans of Hatton, near Berwick-on-Tweed. He also was Bishop of Moray in 1501, and Archbishop...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Formen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Formen family to Ireland

Some of the Formen family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Formen migration to the United States +

Gradually becoming disenchanted with life in Ireland many of these uprooted families sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships often arrived with only 60 to 70% of their original passenger list, many dying of illness and the elements, were buried at sea. In North America, early immigrants bearing the family name Formen, or a spelling variation of the surname include:

Formen Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Kristoffel Formen, who landed in New York in 1709 4


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. 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)
  4. 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)


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