The Foss surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 14,094 people carried this name — #2,563 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 20,900 people counted. That is up 3% from 13,737 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Foss surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘at the foss or force’.

An early record he cites: Robert atte Fosse, Somerset, 1327–28 (1 Edward III) — Kirby's Quest (Somerset).

His entry covers Foss and Fosse.

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

In Poland’s population register

216 people named Foss have a registered home in Poland.

Of the 275 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 9 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Kuyavian-Pomeranian.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Kuyavian-Pomeranian 117
Pomeranian 41
Masovian 15
Warmian-Masurian 13
West Pomeranian 13
Subcarpathian 6
Lower Silesian 5
Silesian 4

PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 83 people named Foss live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

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

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 68
Santa Fe 15

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In the Nordic population registers

3,294 people named Foss are counted in Norway and Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Norway publishes only surnames with 200 or more bearers.

Counted, by country

Norway (2025) 3,097
Sweden (2022) 197

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Statistics Norway (SSB, ssb.no), table 12891, 2025 — CC BY 4.0.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Foss was found among the farmers of Devon: 8 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Devon 8

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

91 families named Foss, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 482 people lived in those households, 5.3 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. 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

New Hampshire 58
Maine 31
Pennsylvania 1
Maryland 1

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

Foss in American newspapers,
1894–1912.

Newspaper page from The Guthrie Daily Leader carrying the name Foss
The Guthrie Daily Leader 1894-01-13
Newspaper page from The Guthrie Daily Leader carrying the name Foss
The Guthrie Daily Leader 1912-07-02
Newspaper page from The Guthrie Daily Leader carrying the name Foss
The Guthrie Daily Leader 1894-01-14

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 196,502 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Foss in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

6,592 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Foss. The most, 1,022, date from the 1900s. 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 5.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 2,534
Western Australia 2,440
Queensland 617
Victoria 570
South Australia 262
Tasmania 134
ACT (Canberra) 26
Northern Territory 1

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

Who carried it

People named Foss,
with a public archive behind them.

  • George Henry Foss d. 1946
  • Anna Jonsdotter Foss d. 1661
  • Sigurd Foss 1315–
  • Lauritz Hanssøn Foss 1440–
  • Oddsdatter Foss 1450–
  • Gunhild Foss 1450–

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Foss,
in the records of 10 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 States1,500 records

1,500 records of the Foss name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 499
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 292
  • Other U.S. records 709
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Millard E. Foss

    Born 1914 in Maine. Enlisted 1942 at Bangor; schoolteacher from Washington County. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1999, buried at Longfellow Cemetery, Machias, Maine.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (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 Ada M. Foss

    Born 1897 in New York. Enlisted 1944 in the Women's Army Corps at Hempstead; secretary. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1961, 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 Dorothea Foss

    Arrived at New York in 1866 aboard the Bremen from Bremen, aged 25; farmer. From Herford, Germany.

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

Showing 3 of 1,500 records for Foss in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · 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 · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Norway1,741 records

1,741 records of the Foss name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Christen Foss

    Census of 1910: Haneborg søndre, Urskog; retired farmer, born 1835 in Urskog.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Ingeborg Foss

    Census of 1910: Klostergaten, Bergen; maidservant, born 1869 in Indre Holmedal Søndfjord.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Erik Foss

    Census of 1910: Tordenskjoldsgate, Trondhjem; joiner, born 1883 in Horrig.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 3 of 1,741 records for Foss in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Australia145 records

145 records of the Foss name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 86
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 25
  • Other Australian records 34
  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 Ann Foss

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the William Pitt, arriving 1806.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos Foss

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Passaroeang, aged 24; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Marie Josephine Foss

    Clerk of Werribee South, Victoria; died 2001.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 145 records for Foss in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Germany90 records

90 records of the Foss name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 89
  • German emigration and citizenship files 1
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Karl Foß

    From Hausen an der Zaber, O.-A. Brackenheim. Reported dead in the Württemberg casualty list of 23 September 1914 (Infantry Regiment No. 180).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Karl Foss

    Emigrated to the United States in 1859.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv (CC0)

Showing 2 of 90 records for Foss in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0).

Canada75 records

75 records of the Foss name in Canada
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 23
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 22
  • Other Canadian records 30
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Agnes Armour Foss

    Buried in 1975 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 82.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Francis Henry Foss

    Died 1923 in Halifax County, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Wm. Frederick Foss

    Died 1913; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

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

Showing 3 of 75 records for Foss in Canada.

Counts: City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · 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 Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Netherlands14 records

14 records of the Foss name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 7
  • Dutch population registers 4
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 3
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Ottilie Katharina Foss

    Married in 1934 in Kerkrade; shopkeeper.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Hendrik Fredrik Foss

    Died 1957 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 59.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Henriette Foss

    Died 1840 in Den Haag, aged 40.

    Open Archives, Nationaal Archief Rijksarchief Zuid-Holland (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 14 records for Foss 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).

New Zealand8 records

8 records of the Foss name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Percy Oswald Foss

    Died 1944, aged 57; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Frances Foss

    Died 1977, aged 82; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 8 records for Foss in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom5 records

5 records of the Foss name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. F. Foss

    London Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. A. Foss

    Lance Corporal, East Yorkshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Foss in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). 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).

Switzerland3 records

3 records of the Foss name in Switzerland Zürich marriage records, 16th–18th centuries
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jakob Foss

    Married in 1643 in Birmensdorf, canton of Zürich; of Grafschaft Hanau-Buchsweiler (Frankreich).

    Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich, Zürcher Ehedaten (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Anna Foss

    Married in 1624 in Niederweningen, canton of Zürich; of Oberweningen.

    Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich, Zürcher Ehedaten (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Foss in Switzerland.

Counts: Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich, Zürcher Ehedaten (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

France2 records

2 records of the Foss 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 Jean Ulrich Foss

    Born 1961 in Neuilly-sur-Seine (Paris); died 1982 in Épinay-sur-Orge (Essonne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Foss 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 Foss.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Foss 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.

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