| ![Show Contents]() Foster History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of FosterWhat does the name Foster mean? There are three distinct possible origins for this surname: from the Middle English word "foster" meaning "foster-parent, nurse"; an extension of the name Forrester or Forster, meaning "forester"; and the name could be from Forstier, a "shearer" which would eventually evolve to Forster and Foster. 1 The name is "sometimes a contraction of Forester: but there is an origin at least equally probable, viz: fosterer, one who feeds and has the charge of children instead of their parents." 2 Early Origins of the Foster familyThe surname Foster was first found in Essex where John Foster was recorded at Colchester in 1373. A few years later, Edward Foster was recorded in the Assize Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1381. 1 So as to prove the relationship of the Foster variant with Forrester, "the seal of Walter Forestier (1371 AD v, Lo) bore the legend: SIGILLVM. WALTERI. LE. FOSTER. " 1 Early History of the Foster familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foster research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1589, 1617, 1635, 1648, 1663, 1681, 1692, 1697, 1698, 1726, 1731, 1753, 1769, 1774, 1790, 1796, 1828, 1831 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Foster History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Foster Spelling VariationsAlthough the name, Foster, appeared in many references, from time to time, the surname was shown with the spellings Forrester, Forester, Forrest, Forster, Foster, Forrestor and many more. Early Notables of the Foster familyNotable amongst the family name during their early history was - Sir John Forster; Sir Robert Foster (1589-1663), an English judge and Chief Justice of the King's Bench; John Foster (1648-1681), the earliest American engraver and the first Boston printer; and Ann F...
- Edward Forster (1769-1828), the English miscellaneous writer, born at Colchester, Essex, on 11 June 1769, was the only son of Nathaniel Forster, D.D. (1726?-1790.) 3 Henry Foster (1796-1831), the...
Foster World RankingIn the United States, the name Foster is the 93rd most popular surname with an estimated 226,317 people with that name. 4 However, in Canada, the name Foster is ranked the 160th most popular surname with an estimated 21,790 people with that name. 5 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Foster is the 542nd popular surname with an estimated 85 people with that name. 6 Australia ranks Foster as 113rd with 23,738 people. 7 New Zealand ranks Foster as 108th with 3,923 people. 8 The United Kingdom ranks Foster as 76th with 59,483 people. 9 Migration of the Foster family to IrelandSome of the Foster family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 93 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Foster 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 cholera, typhoid, dysentery or small pox. In North America, some of the first immigrants who could be considered kinsmen of the Foster family name Foster, or who bore a variation of the surname were
Foster Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Samuel Foster, who arrived in New England in 1619 10
- John Foster, who landed in Virginia in 1623 10
- John Foster, who landed in Jamestown, Va in 1624 10
- Thomas Foster, who arrived in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules" 10
- William Foster, who arrived in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules" 10
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Foster Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Daniel] Foster, who landed in Virginia in 1700 10
- Phillis Foster, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 10
- Thomas Foster, who landed in Virginia in 1714 10
- Julian Foster, who arrived in Virginia in 1717 10
- Sam Foster, who landed in South Carolina in 1728 10
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Foster Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Martha Foster, aged 22, who arrived in New York, NY in 1803 10
- Charles Foster, who arrived in America in 1805 10
- Alex Foster, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1808 10
- Arthur Foster, aged 22, who landed in New York in 1812 10
- George S Foster, aged 27, who arrived in New York in 1812 10
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Foster Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Chamberlain Burke Foster, aged 25, who landed in Mississippi in 1907 10
- Louis Samuel Foster, who arrived in Alabama in 1912 10
- Lee Peter Foster, who landed in Alabama in 1921 10
- Alfred Scott Foster, who landed in Alabama in 1921 10
- Edward Augustus Foster, who landed in Alabama in 1926 10
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Foster migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Foster Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century- Bennet Foster, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
- Edward Foster, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
- Patrick Foster, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
- John Foster, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1760
- Asa Foster, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1760
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Foster Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century- Asher M Foster, who landed in Canada in 1828
- Jude Foster, who landed in Canada in 1829
- James Foster, who landed in Canada in 1830
- Robert Foster, who landed in Quebec in 1831
- Nathaniel Foster, who landed in Canada in 1831
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Foster Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century- H Foster, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
| Foster migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Foster Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Mr. Samuel Foster, English convict who was convicted in London, England for life, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" in May 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
- Mr. Edward Foster, English convict who was convicted in Bristol, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Fame" on 9th October 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
- Mr. George Foster, British Convict who was convicted in Kingston Upon Hull, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Batavia" in October 1817, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
- Mr. Richard Foster, (b. 1791), aged 28, English bricklayer who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 27th October 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1859 14
- Mr. George Foster, English convict who was convicted in Berkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 13th July 1822, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Foster migration to New Zealand | + |
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Foster Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- John Foster, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
- James Ramsay Foster, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Coromandel
- James Ramsay Foster, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Coromandel" in 1840
- Mr. John Foster, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Bee" arriving in New Zealand in 1840 16
- James Foster, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1842 17
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Foster migration to West Indies | + |
The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 18Foster Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century- Alice Foster, who arrived in Barbados, as a bonded passenger in 1671
| Contemporary Notables of the name Foster (post 1700) | + |
- Sophia Foster -Dimino, American comics artist and illustrator who has won three Ignatz Awards
- Carson Foster (b. 2001), American competitive swimmer, three-time gold medalist winner at the 2019 World Junior Championships, two-time silver medalist at the 2017 World Junior Championships, silver and bronze at the 2024 Summer Olympics
- Richard Link "Skip" Foster (1960-2024), American head football coach at Coffeyville Community College from 1989 to 2000, compiling a record of 82-39-2
- Benjamin A. Foster (b. 1980), American actor, known for his work in The Punisher (2004), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), and television series Six Feet Under (2003-2005)
- Mark Derek Foster (b. 1984), American musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the lead singer of the band Foster the People
- Larry Lynn Foster (1937-2023), American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher with the Detroit Tigers
- Gregory "Greg" Foster (1958-2023), American five-time gold medalist hurdler, born in Chicago, Illinois, the only person in the history of the IAAF World Championships in Athletics to win three consecutive 110 meter hurdling titles (1983, 1987, and 1991)
- Glenn Foster (1990-2021), American professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL)
- Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster (b. 1962), American actress, film director and producer with two Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a People's Choice Award
- Reginald Thomas Foster OCD (1939-2020), American Catholic priest and friar of the Order of Discalced Carmelites
- ... (Another 38 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Historic Events for the Foster family | + |
Bradford City stadium fire - Nellie Foster (1921-1985), from Bradford who attended the Bradford City and Lincoln City Third Division match on 11th May 1985 when the Bradford City stadium fire occurred and she died in the fire she did manage to save her Grandson who was with her
- Mr. Ernest Foster, British Trimmer from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 19
- Mr. Charles Roderick Foster (1935-1996), aged 61, from Sherman, Connecticut, USA, American pilot for Dassault Falcon Jet Co. flying aboard Flight TWA 800 from J.F.K. Airport, New York to Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome when the plane crashed after takeoff ; he died in the crash 20
- Mr. T. Foster, Canadian resident of Frank, Alberta who was buried in the Frank Rock Slide on 29th April 1903 21
- Mr. William Foster (1880-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 22
- Mr. John Foster (1891-1914), English Bucker from Page Bank, Durham, England, United Kingdom who worked in the Hillcrest Coal Mine, Alberta, Canada and died in the mine collapse 23
- Mr. Norman Douglas Foster (1913-1941), Australian Engine Room Artificer 4th Class from Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 24
- Mr. Roy Ebenezer Foster (1905-1941), Australian Corporal from Ipswich, Queensland, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 24
- George Foster (d. 1942), British Able Seaman aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 25
- Lloyd Robert Raymond Foster, British Midshipman aboard the HMS Dorsetshire (1945) when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he survived the sinking 26
- Williams Foster, British aboard the HMS Dorsetshire (1945) when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he survived the sinking 26
- Mr. Reginald Foster (b. 1921), English Able Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Kemsworth, Yorkshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 27
- Mr. Ralph Foster (b. 1917), Canadian Ordinary Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Kings Point, Newfoundland, Canada, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 27
- Mr. Kenneth J Foster (b. 1921), Welsh Able Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 27
- Mr. Colin E Foster (b. 1923), English Ordinary Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Cresswell, Norpeth, Northumberlandshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 27
- Mr. Algernon T Foster (b. 1916), English Able Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Hastings, Sussex, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 27
- Mr. Samuel M.C. Foster, British Leading Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 28
- Mr. S Foster, British Leading Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 28
- Mr. Leonard Nelson Foster, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 28
- Mr. George Foster, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking, also sailed aboard the HMS Cornwall and was lost in 1942 28
- Mr. George Foster (1923-1942), English Able Seaman from England, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales and survived the sinking, also sailed aboard the HMS Cornwall and was lost in 1942 28
- Mr. Walter F Foster, British Shipwright 4th Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 29
- Mr. Albert E D Foster, British Stoker 2ne Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 29
- Mr. Henry Charles Arthur Foster, British Plumber 3rd Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 29
- Thomas J. Foster, British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 30
- George William Foster (1908-1939), British Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 30
- Donald Charles Denton Foster (1911-1939), British Leading Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 30
Lady of the Lake - Mr. James Foster, Irish traveller from Antrim, Northern Ireland who sailed aboard the "Lady of the Lake" from Greenock, Scotland on 8th April 1833 to Quebec, Canada when the ship hit ice and sunk of the coast of Newfoundland on the 11th May 1833 and he survived the sinking
- Mr. John Foster, English First Waiter from Totnes, Devon, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 31
- Mr. Albert C Foster (d. 1912), aged 37, English Engineering Storekeeper from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 32
- Mr. Owen Fister Foster, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
- Mr. James P. Foster Jr., American Seaman First Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking 33
USS Indianapolis - Verne Elmer Foster (1926-2005), American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he survived the sinking 34
Vimy Ridge - Cyril Foster (1897-1917), Canadian clerk, Private in the 44th Battalion from Manitoba who died at Vimy Ridge April 1917
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
- The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
- "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
- "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
- "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
- 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)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/batavia
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 7th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
- Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
- The Washington Post Passenger List TWA Flight 800. (Retrieved 2018, February 15th). Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/twa800/list01.htm
- Calgary Herald news article retrieved 11th August 2021. Retrieved from https://smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital/calgaryherald/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Calgary_Herald_Thu__Apr_30__1903_-copy-scaled.jpg
- Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
- List Of Miners - Hillcrest Mine Disaster Data. (Retrieved 2014, June 24) . Retrieved from http://www.hillcrestminedisaster.com/data/index.php?title=List_Of_Miners
- HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
- Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
- Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
- H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
- HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
- HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
- Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
- Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 10) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
- Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
- Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
- Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew
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