Foster History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Foster

What does the name Foster mean?

The ancestors of the first family to use the name Foster lived among the Boernician tribe of ancient Scotland. They lived in areas near or inside a forest. Some research suggests that the surname is also a shortened form of Forester. The Middle English word forest referred specifically to an area of woodland reserved by law as hunting grounds for the king or his nobles. As such, the surname, Foster would have appeared independently in various parts of Britain.

Early Origins of the Foster family

The surname Foster was first found in Newlands, a parish, in the historic county of Peeblesshire. 1 The first on record was William de Forest who was a tenant of the Douglases in the barony of Newlands in 1376. In the same year, Hugh de Forest was a Douglas tenant in Drumcorke. A few years later, Morgan de Forest in Aberdeen was "cherged" with being a forestaller in 1402 and Master Thomas de Foresta, licentiate in decrees, was rector of the parish of Soudon (Southdean) in 1404. 2

Early History of the Foster family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foster research. Another 187 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1390, 1411, 1430, 1453, 1463, 1472, 1518, 1520, 1526, 1527, 1533, 1540, 1588, 1602, 1608, 1633, 1635, 1642, 1654, 1664, 1668, 1698, 1701, 1703, 1706, 1709, 1711, 1714, 1715, 1720 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Foster History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Foster Spelling Variations

Boernician names that evolved in the largely preliterate Middle Ages are often marked by considerable spelling variations. Foster has been spelled Forrester, Forester, Forrest, Forster, Foster, Forrestor and many more.

Early Notables of the Foster family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Sir Thomas Forster (d. 1527) of Etherston, Northumberland; and his son, Sir John Forster (c.1520-1602), an English military commander and Warden of the Middle Marches; Sir George Forrester (d. 1654), 1st Baronet of Corstorphine, Scotland, created Lord Forrester in 1633. Henry Forrest or Forres (d. 1533?), was a Scottish, martyr, referred to by Knox as 'of Linlithgow,' and Foxe describes him as a 'young man born in Linlithgow.' "David Laing, in his edition of Knox's 'Works,' conjectures that he may have been the son of 'Thomas Forrest of Linlithgow' mentioned in the...
Another 239 words (17 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Foster Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Foster World Ranking

In the United States, the name Foster is the 93^rd most popular surname with an estimated 226,317 people with that name. 3 However, in Canada, the name Foster is ranked the 160^th most popular surname with an estimated 21,790 people with that name. 4 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Foster is the 542^nd popular surname with an estimated 85 people with that name. 5 Australia ranks Foster as 113^rd with 23,738 people. 6 New Zealand ranks Foster as 108^th with 3,923 people. 7 The United Kingdom ranks Foster as 76^th with 59,483 people. 8

Migration of the Foster family to Ireland

Some of the Foster family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 129 words (9 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 +

Some of the Boernician-Scottish Clan families who came to North America were Loyalists who went north to Canada after the American War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border went on to found two of the world's great nations. This century, families with Scottish roots have rediscovered their heritage through highland games and clan societies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Foster or a variant listed above:

Foster Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Samuel Foster, who arrived in New England in 1619 9
John Foster, who landed in Virginia in 1623 9
John Foster, who landed in Jamestown, Va in 1624 9
Thomas Foster, who arrived in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules" 9
William Foster, who arrived in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules" 9
... (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 9
Phillis Foster, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 9
Thomas Foster, who landed in Virginia in 1714 9
Julian Foster, who arrived in Virginia in 1717 9
Sam Foster, who landed in South Carolina in 1728 9
... (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 9
Charles Foster, who arrived in America in 1805 9
Alex Foster, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1808 9
Arthur Foster, aged 22, who landed in New York in 1812 9
George S Foster, aged 27, who arrived in New York in 1812 9
... (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 9
Louis Samuel Foster, who arrived in Alabama in 1912 9
Lee Peter Foster, who landed in Alabama in 1921 9
Alfred Scott Foster, who landed in Alabama in 1921 9
Edward Augustus Foster, who landed in Alabama in 1926 9
... (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 10
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 11
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 12
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 13
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 14
... (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 15
James Foster, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1842 16
... (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. 17

Foster 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) +

John Stuart Foster Jr. (1922-2025), American physicist, best known as the fourth director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and as Director, Defense Research and Engineering under four Secretaries of Defense and two Presidents
Hannah Webster Foster (1758-1840), American novelist, he first novel, The Coquette; or, The History of Eliza Wharton, was published anonymously in 1797 and in 1866 with her name on the title page
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)
... (Another 40 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

Empress of Ireland

Mr. Ernest Foster, British Trimmer from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 18

Flight TWA 800

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 19

Frank Rock Slide

Mr. T. Foster, Canadian resident of Frank, Alberta who was buried in the Frank Rock Slide on 29th April 1903 20

Halifax Explosion

Mr. William Foster (1880-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 21

Hillcrest Coal Mine

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 22

HMAS Sydney II

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 23
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 23

HMS Cornwall

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 24

HMS Dorsetshire

Lloyd Robert Raymond Foster, British Midshipman aboard the HMS Dorsetshire (1945) when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he survived the sinking 25
Williams Foster, British aboard the HMS Dorsetshire (1945) when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he survived the sinking 25

HMS Hood

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 26
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 26
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 26
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 26
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 26

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Samuel M.C. Foster, British Leading Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 27
Mr. S Foster, British Leading Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 27
Mr. Leonard Nelson Foster, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 27
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 27
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 27

HMS Repulse

Mr. Walter F Foster, British Shipwright 4th Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 28
Mr. Albert E D Foster, British Stoker 2ne Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 28
Mr. Henry Charles Arthur Foster, British Plumber 3rd Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 28

HMS Royal Oak

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 29
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 29
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 29

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

RMS Lusitania

Mr. John Foster, English First Waiter from Totnes, Devon, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 30

RMS Titanic

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 31

SS Atlantic

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

USS Arizona

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 32

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 33

Vimy Ridge

Cyril Foster (1897-1917), Canadian clerk, Private in the 44th Battalion from Manitoba who died at Vimy Ridge April 1917

The Foster Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Hunter blow thy horn

Sources +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"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