Surname Forsaith - Meaning and Origin
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Forsaith: What does the surname Forsaith mean?
The surname Forsaith is of Scottish origin and thought to have derived from the Old English word 'Fors or Faurs' which means 'gamekeeper'. Originally, this name was used to refer to an individual who was responsible for looking after a lord's game on land that he owned. This could include overseeing hunting, poaching and protecting livestock from predators.
The surname Forsaith then appeared in Scotland as 'Forsayth', with the 'th' being a form of the Old Norse dative plural ending. This ending indicated a place of unspecified location, potentially the family's original home. From there, the surname could have also evolved into 'Forsat' or 'Forsa', both which appeared especially in Angus, Scotland, during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
As the surname Forsaith spread further, it then began to be used in conjunction with other names, such as Forsaith-Burns or Forsaith-Bruce. This indicates that the original surname could have been adopted by other families due to its familiarity and recognisability.
Other related Forsaith surnames, such as Fersie or Porsay, may also have evolved from this original name. These could have been variations due to incorrect transcription or local dialect, and used interchangeably for the original Forsaith.
Overall, the surname Forsaith has had a long history in Scotland and is associated with an individual likely responsible for looking after Lord's land and hunting. Due to its recognisability, other families may have adopted it as their own over the years.
Order DNA origin analysisForsaith: Where does the name Forsaith come from?
The last name Forsaith is a fairly uncommon name with origins stretching back to the 17th century. While it is difficult to trace its exact origins, the name is thought to be of Gaelic Irish origin. Historically, the name can be traced to counties in Northern Ireland.
Today, the name Forsaith is most commonly found in the United States and Canada. In the United States, the name is found primarily in California, Ohio, and Nevada. In Canada, the name is more concentrated in the province of Ontario.
Within the United States, the name Forsaith appears most frequently within California where it is particularly common in the Sacramento Valley, the Central Valley, and the Bay Area. Additionally, in Ohio, it is more common within the Cleveland and Cincinnati metropolitan areas.
In terms of population size, the Forsaith surname ranks at 19,020 in the United States and at 8,661 in Canada. Despite its fairly low ranking, the name Forsaith can still be found in many parts of the United States and Canada.
Variations of the surname Forsaith
The Forsaith surname is generally accepted to have had its earliest roots in Scotland. However, there have been variants over the years that developed into other spellings and surnames with similar origin.
Variants of the Forsaith surname include Farseath, Forsathe, Fersay, Forseyth, Forseith and Forsett. Surnames with similar origins are Furse, Furseay, Furce and Fursay.
The Forsaith pedigree itself can be traced back to the 7th century when the family were first recorded in the Scottish Highlands as the "Fear Sith" clan in the area of what is now Inverness-shire.
More recent records have the Forsaith name in England as early as the 16th century. It was common to find spellings of the name such as Forsseith, Forsythe and Fersay.
In the United States, the Forsaith surname is quite uncommon but there are still some descendants of the original Forsaith family living there.
It seems the Forsaith surname can be found both in Scotland and in England with various spellings and variations around the world. Some may go by Furce, Fursay or even Furse, while others may still go by Forsaith and its original spelling, Fear Sith.
Famous people with the name Forsaith
- Michael Forsaith: Australian businessman and philanthropist.
- Jessica Forsaith: British author and biographer.
- Norman Forsaith: Composer and pianist.
- John Forsaith: British violinist and conductor.
- Andrew Forsaith: South African-born artist.
- Kim Forsaith: Australian TV presenter and producer.
- Barbara Forsaith: British actress.
- Alexander Forsaith: Scottish painter and sculptor.
- Rachel Forsaith: American children’s author and illustrator.
- Thomas Forsaith: British lyricist and playwright.