Forden is used as a family name or surname in Netherlands. It is 6 characters long in length.
Forden is variant of Downey. Perhaps the same as Downie - A range of hills in Forfar shire, and a headland in Kincardineshire.
Variant form of Dawnay. The genealogists of Viscount Downe's family set out with a state ment that "Sir laine Dawnay, of Dawnay Castle in Normandy, came in with the Conqueror;" but this off-hand account requires a little examination. But we couldn't find the surname in Domesday, or, 'Dawnay Castle' where the respectable knight had his residence. Yet substantial truth is probably conveyed in this sparkling sentence. Daunay is doubtless D'Aunai, and there are at least seven places called Aunai in Normandy, one of which, Aunai l'Abbaye, in the arrondissement of Vire, was an ancient barony, and from thence probably the family came. At all events the D'Aunays were eminent in Cornwall the fourteenth century. As a "Curiosity of Heraldry," the crest of the family is a Demi-Saracen, holding in one hand a lion's paw, and in the other a gold ring set with a sapphire. This cognizance originated, it is said, in manner following. Sir William D. was made a 'general' at Acre by King Caur-de-Lion in 1192, for having killed, first a chief prince of the Saracens, and afterwards a mighty lion, whose paws he cut off and presented to Richard. The king, delighted with the general's' exploit, took a ring from his royal finger and presented it to him; and that sapphire ring is still in possession of Lord Downe—tangible evidence of the truth of this circumstantial narration.
Forden is variation of the Daune. Probably from French aune, an alder tree.
A form of Downey. One who came from Downie, the name of several places in Scotland; dweller at the little hill; the brown-haired man; grandson of Dunadhach, i.e., belonging to a fort.
Surname is variant of Dorn. One who came from Dorn meaning "stronghold," in Worcestershire.
How popular is Forden?
As per 2010 US census, number of Fordens plummeted by 0.79 per cent to 252 since 2000 and slipped by 4665 spots and ranked at 76275. The last name was found in merely 9 per ten million population. Please refer to following table for race and ethnicity.
| Race | 2010 | 2000 |
|---|---|---|
| White | 83.73 | 83.07 |
| Black | 7.14 | 7.09 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.97 | 5.51 |
| Others | 3.17 | 3.15 |
| Asian and Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander | 1.98 | 0 |
Immigrants to US
From Germany
Edw. Forden worked as farmer and hailed from Ritzen, Germany. 25 years old embarked for USA from Bremen on New York and arrived on January 13, 1864. Ferdinand Forden, aged 59, 28 years old Jos. Forden, are other Forden that migrated to US.