Foster Surname: Origin and Coat of Arms
What does Foster mean, and where does it come from? Here is a brief introduction.
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Origin of the Foster name
Foster has several English origins. Most often it is a contracted form of Forester, an officer in charge of a royal forest. It may also come from Middle English foster, "foster parent", or from Old French forcetier, a maker of shears. The surname is especially common in northern England.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Foster name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Foster name in England. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Australia and Canada; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
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Your full Foster pack adds the researched history, early records and migration. Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Foster coat of arms for you.
Foster name FAQ
What does the Foster name mean?
Forester; foster parent; shear maker. Common variants include Forster, Forrester, Fosters.
Where does the Foster surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a Foster coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Foster crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Foster coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.