The Foreman surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 28,605 people carried this name — #1,234 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 10,300 people counted. That is up 5% from 27,130 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Foreman surname

A surname originating as an occupation for someone who was the manager of a farm.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Foreman» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Forman’.

An early record he cites: Willelmus Forman, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Forman, Foreman and Formon.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 296 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 5 births for the Foreman name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 200 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 4
Leinster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Scotland’s registers today

Foreman was recorded 20 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1147th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 12. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

92 families named Foreman, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 571 people lived in those households, 6.2 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 3 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 20
Maryland 20
New York 17
North Carolina 17
Virginia 15
South Carolina 3

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 240 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Foreman in American newspapers,
1895–1922.

Newspaper page from The Washington Times carrying the name Foreman
The Washington Times 1905-07-28
Newspaper page from The Evening Times carrying the name Foreman
The Evening Times 1895-10-16
Newspaper page from The Independent carrying the name Foreman
The Independent 1922-07-14

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 3,161 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Foreman in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2010s.

37,098 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Foreman. The most, 5,866, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 1.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 10,302
Queensland 8,547
Victoria 5,987
Western Australia 5,931
South Australia 5,238
Tasmania 953
ACT (Canberra) 88
Northern Territory 17

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Foreman.

Who carried it

People named Foreman,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Gregg Foreman
    Gregg Foreman d. 2026 · disc jockey
  • Henry G. Foreman
    Henry G. Foreman 1857–1932 · politician
  • George Foreman 1759–1799
  • James Foreman 1763–1854 · businessperson
  • John Samuel Foreman 1798–1845 · naval officer
  • Ferris Foreman 1808–1901 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Foreman,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,854 records

1,854 records of the Foreman name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 918
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 346
  • Other U.S. records 590
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Kenneth R. Foreman

    Born 1931; from Brown County, Ohio. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; declared dead 1950 in North Korea. Buried at Mount Orab Cemetery, Ohio.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record John A. Foreman

    Born 1910 in North Carolina. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Jay Governors Island, New York; construction worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1962, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Maggie Foreman

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Richmond from Liverpool, aged 18; nurse. From Galway, Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,854 records for Foreman in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia886 records

886 records of the Foreman name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 376
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 175
  • Other Australian records 335
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record James Foreman

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Coromandel, sailing from Sheerness in 1838. Native of Kent. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1846. Married 1846 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 23.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William Thomas Foreman

    Born 1862 in Hobart, Tasmania. Died 1881 in Tasmania, aged 18.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Foreman

    Arrived in Victoria in 1856 aboard the Marco Polo, aged 15; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 886 records for Foreman in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada82 records

82 records of the Foreman name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 21
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 14
  • Other Canadian records 47
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Foreman

    Came to Ontario in 1870 aboard the Ganges, landing at Quebec, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Greta Foreman

    Buried in 1993 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 84.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Grace May Nicholl Foreman

    Died 1998, aged 69; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 82 records for Foreman in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Netherlands80 records

80 records of the Foreman name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 56
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 20
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 4
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Paul Charles Philippe Foreman

    Married in 1909 in Utrecht. Died 1929 in Apeldoorn, aged 62.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Ernestine Marie Foreman

    Born 1844 in Abcoude-Proostdij. Married in 1886 in 's-Gravenhage.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Louis Foreman

    Died 1905 in Arnhem, aged 66; physician.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 80 records for Foreman in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom40 records

40 records of the Foreman name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 28
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 7
  • Other British records 5
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Richard Foreman

    Born 1894 at Burghead; fisherman. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record David Foreman

    Buried in 1893 at Valley Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 40.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Alexander Foreman

    Born 1883 at Burghead; fisherman. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

Showing 3 of 40 records for Foreman in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France3 records

3 records of the Foreman name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Helene Emily Foreman

    Born 1912 in Laurenco Marquez (Afrique du Sud); died 1993 in Draveil (Essonne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Florence Hettie Foreman

    Born 1898 in the United Kingdom; died 1993 in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Foreman in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Foreman.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Foreman is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Foreman volume
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