History of your Surname
Get access to Laforest family records.Start a free trial

Laforest Family History

Laforest Name Meaning

French: topographic name for someone who lived in or near a royal forest, or a metonymic occupational name for a keeper or worker in one, from Old French forest, with the definite article la. Unlike modern French forêt, forest was not simply a word for extensive woodland, but referred specifically to large, partly or mainly wooded areas reserved by law for the king and his nobles to hunt in. Americanized form of French La Forêt, a modern spelling of 1, here translated into English with the article left intact. Compare Lafontaine.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Forrest, Foret, Deforest, Laforge, Forst, Lefort, Laforce, Lafosse

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Laforest family from?

You can see how Laforest families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Laforest family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Laforest families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1911 there were 460 Laforest families living in Quebec. This was about 84% of all the recorded Laforest's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Laforest families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Laforest surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Laforest ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Cultivateur and Couturire were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Laforest. 35% of Laforest men worked as a Cultivateur and 27% of Laforest women worked as a Couturire. Some less common occupations for Americans named Laforest were Commis and Servante. .

View Census Data for Laforest | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Cultivateur
    35%
  • Journalier
    20%
  • Farmer
    10%
  • Commis
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Couturire
    27%
  • Colier
    20%
  • Institutrice
    20%
  • Servante
    20%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Laforest family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Laforest. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Laforest census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Laforest

Passenger Lists

There are 878 immigration records available for the last name Laforest. 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 Laforest immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Laforest. For the veterans among your Laforest ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Laforest military records

You've only scratched the surface of Laforest family history

Discover More

What is the average Laforest lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Laforest life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1976. The average life expectancy for Laforest in 1951 was 62, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Laforest

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Laforest family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial