2000
#36,716
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 574
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.21
Very Rare Last name
Forge
Historically an occupational surname derived from those who worked at a forge or furnace.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 625 Americans carry the last name Forge. That puts it at #42,786 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.18 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 548,407 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Forge surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Forge with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
625
1 in 548,407
Census rank
#42,786
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
545
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 545 bearers of the surname Forge in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.18 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 42786th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Forge, the largest self-reported group is White at 58.2%. The next largest groups are Black (34.1%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Forge
The surname Forge is an English occupational name derived from the Old French word "forge", meaning a blacksmith's workshop or smithy. It likely originated in regions of England where French influence was strong, such as parts of southern England and East Anglia.
The earliest known record of the surname Forge dates back to the late 12th century, appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1170. During this time, blacksmithing was a vital trade, and surnames derived from occupations were becoming increasingly common.
In the 13th century, the name was found in various forms, including Forge, Forges, and le Forge, indicating its French origins. The Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273 mention a "Gilbert le Forge", while the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 record a "William Forge".
The surname Forge can also be traced back to place names in England, such as Forge Valley in North Yorkshire and Forge Mills in Shropshire. These locations likely derived their names from the presence of blacksmith forges or iron-working sites.
Notable individuals with the surname Forge throughout history include:
1. Thomas Forge (c. 1440 - c. 1520), an English priest and scholar who served as the Rector of Boxted in Essex.
2. John Forge (c. 1590 - 1660), an English clergyman and author who wrote "A Treatise on the Grounds and Reasons of Christian Regeneration".
3. Edward Forge (1765 - 1835), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Naval General Service Medal.
4. Charles Forge (1810 - 1876), a British artist and illustrator known for his depictions of rural life and landscapes.
5. Mary Forge (1886 - 1966), an American educator and social reformer who advocated for educational opportunities for underprivileged children in New York City.
While the surname Forge has its roots in occupational and geographical origins, it has since spread across various regions and cultures, reflecting the diverse histories and migrations of families over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Forge
Among Census respondents with the surname Forge, the largest self-reported group is White at 58.2%. The next largest groups are Black (34.1%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Forge bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Forge surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White58.2% · 317
- Black or African American34.1% · 186
- Two or more races4.0% · 22
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 16
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Forge
Forge appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#39,052
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 564
-10 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.19
Rank movement Down 2,336 places
2020
#42,786
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 545
-19 bearers (-3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.18
Rank movement Down 3,734 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #36,716 | 574 | 0.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #39,052 | 564 | 0.19 | -10 bearers (-1.7%) | Down 2,336 places |
| 2020 | #42,786 | 545 | 0.18 | -19 bearers (-3.4%) | Down 3,734 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Forge surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #39,052 | #42,786 | -9.6% |
| Count | 564 | 545 | -3.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.19 | 0.18 | -4.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Forge bearers went from 564 to 545 (-3.4% change). The surname moved down 3,734 positions in the national ranking, going from #39,052 to #42,786.
FAQ
Forge surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Forge?
Name Census estimates that about 625 living Americans carry the surname Forge. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 548,407 residents.
How common is Forge?
Forge ranks #42,786 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.18 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 545 people with the surname Forge. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (625), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.18 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.18 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Forge.
Has Forge become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Forge went from 564 recorded bearers to 545. That is a decrease of 19 (-3.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #39,052 to #42,786.
What does the Census say about the background of Forge?
Among Census respondents with the surname Forge, the largest self-reported group is White at 58.2%. The next largest groups are Black (34.1%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Forge in the 2020 Census, accounting for 58.2% (317 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Forge appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (58.2%), Black (34.1%), Two or More Races (4.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Forge (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Forge mean?
Historically an occupational surname derived from those who worked at a forge or furnace. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Forge (0.18 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Forge?
Want to know how many people are called Forge? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.