Forbes Family History
Forbes Name Meaning
Scottish: habitational name from Forbes in Tullynessle Aberdeenshire so named from Gaelic forba ‘field district’ + the locative suffix -ais. The placename is pronounced in two syllables with the stress on the second and the surname until recently reflected this. Today however it is generally a monosyllable. Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Firbhisigh ‘son of Fearbhisigh’ a personal name composed of elements meaning ‘man’ + ‘prosperity’.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022