Surname Forch - Meaning and Origin
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Forch: What does the surname Forch mean?
The last name Forch is of German origin. It is derived from the Middle High German word "viorke" which means “abundant, plentiful,” and therefore suggests an ancestor who was well-off or prosperous. It is a popular surname throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
The first recorded mention of the Forch name was in the 12th century in the city of Nijmegen, Netherlands. It has become a common name in that country since then, but it was also carried as far back as the 1400s in Germany.
The surname Forch is a part of the larger family of surnames that are derived from “vorch,” which comes from the Old High German “forhc,” an Old Germanic term for an abundance of goods and provisions.
So, to sum up, the last name Forch is most likely a sign of wealth and prosperity. It suggests that the ancestors of those who hold this name were probably well-off and did not lack for material goods or economic security. Throughout history, it has been carried from Germany to Austria and Switzerland, and it is a popular surname among Dutch-speakers as well.
Order DNA origin analysisForch: Where does the name Forch come from?
The surname Forch is most widely found in Germany, where it is ranked as the 3,252nd most common surname. The original meaning of the surname is "forge" or "blacksmith," as it is derived from the Old German word forge. The name would likely have been used to refer to a person who worked with metal, such as an armorer or a blacksmith.
The name is still common and widely used today, particularly in its German form Forch. It is also frequently encountered in Austria and Switzerland, two neighbouring countries of Germany where German is one of the official languages. Beyond mainland Europe, the Forch surname is found in several other countries where German immigrants settled, such as the United States, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand.
People with the Forch surname have also spread to many other countries around the world, notably through immigration in recent decades. The name has also been adopted in anglicized form, such as Farch, Farché, Forche and Farche. As is common for German surnames, there are a few variant or modified spellings of the surname, such as Förch, Forcher, Förcher, Forche, Förch and Förcher.
Variations of the surname Forch
The surname Forch is of German origin and is derived from the German word “fürch”, meaning “fear”. Variants of the surname Forch are surnames that are either derived from or related to the root word “fürch”, such as Forche, Fourch, Furches, Furch, Furchs, Furtz, Virc, Vyrche and Vyrch.
The surname is also found in spellings derived from the German language, such as Vörch, Verk and Vörcke. Spellings of the surname stemming from foreign language origins include the French spellings Fouche, Fourche and Fourchet, the Dutch spelling Versch and the Danish spelling Farkers.
Alternative surnames of similar origin would be Förster, Furst, and Förch. These surnames are more specifically derived from the German word “Fürst”, meaning “prince” and the word “Förster”, meaning “forester” or “gamekeeper”.
The surname Forch has become much more widespread and has been anglicized in many cases. Common anglicized spellings include Fork, Forth, Forsh, Force, Fourch and Furchey.
Famous people with the name Forch
- Bruce Forch: American football linebacker
- Edward Forch: American actor
- Mike Forch: American professional ice hockey player
- James Forch: American modern dancer and choreographer
- Brian Forch: American professional basketball player
- Gina Forch: American artist and designer
- Todd Forch: American professional cyclist
- Silvano Forch: Swiss professional soccer player
- Abir Forch: Swiss professional hockey player
- Romina Forch: Swiss television presenter and actress
- Joe Forch: American professional golfer
- Tyler Forch: American professional soccer player
- Francesco Forch: Swiss professional soccer player
- Hans-Christian Forch: Swiss professional volleyball player
- Drew Forch: American minister and ranks instructor