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Forbess Family History

Forbess Surname Meaning

Scottish: variant of Forbes reflecting the traditional pronunciation as two syllables.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Forbess family from?

You can see how Forbess families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Forbess family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Forbess families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 5 Forbess families living in Nova Scotia. This was 100% of all the recorded Forbess's in Canada. Nova Scotia had the highest population of Forbess families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Forbess surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Forbess ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Forbess. 25% of Forbess men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Forbess women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Forbess were Carpenter and Manager.

View Census Data for Forbess | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    25%
  • Salesman
    14%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Carpenter
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    50%
  • Clerk
    25%
  • Manager
    25%

What Forbess family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Forbess. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Forbess census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Forbess

Passenger Lists

There are 90 immigration records available for the last name Forbess. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Forbess immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 385 military records available for the last name Forbess. For the veterans among your Forbess ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Forbess military records

You've only scratched the surface of Forbess family history

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What is the average Forbess lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Forbess life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Forbess in 1948 was 42, and 98 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Forbess

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Forbess ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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