Deforest History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe surname Deforest is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties. As a general rule, the greater the distance between an individual and their homeland, the larger the territory they were named after. For example, a person who only moved to another parish would be known by the name of their original village, while people who migrated to a different country were often known by the name of a region or country from which they came. The name Foret is derived from the Old French word "foret," meaning "forest," and distinguished a person who lived in or near such a place. In some cases it may have been used as an occupational surname for a forester. Early Origins of the Deforest familyThe surname Deforest was first found in Savoy (French: Savoie) in the Rhône-Alpes region of the French Alps, where this renowned family held a family seat from ancient times. In England, the Forey spelling was preferred as the "ey" provided the long "a" sound instead of the typical "êt" spelling used in France which provided the same sound. Early History of the Deforest familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Deforest research. Another 345 words (25 lines of text) covering the years 1310, 1442, 1534, 1537, 1539, 1580, 1620, 1636, 1638, 1659, 1712, 1726, 1729, 1753, 1767, 1789, 1790, 1793, 1796, 1804, 1835 and 1872 are included under the topic Early Deforest History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Deforest Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Foret, Forest, Forez, Forait, Foraie, Forais, Foraies, Foré, Forêt, Forêst, Forer, Forey, La Foret, La Forest, La Forez, La Forait, La Foraie, La Forais, La Foraies, La Foré, La Forêt, La Forêst, Laforest, La Forer and many more. Early Notables of the Deforest familyNotable in the family name at this time was Guillaume de La Forest, Magistrate of Faucigny; Laurenz Forer (1580-1659), a Swiss Jesuit theologian and controversialist; and Jean-Baptiste Forest, (1636-1712) a French landscape painter.Admiral Sir John LaForey (1729-1796) was second son of John Laforey (d. 1753), one of the French Huguenot family La Foret which settled in England at the time of William III. 1Jean de La Forêt, (Foret) also Jean de La Forest or Jehan de... Deforest RankingIn the United States, the name Deforest is the 9,144th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Deforest Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Deforest Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Deforest Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Deforest Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Deforest Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto. Motto: Tout travers Motto Translation: All through
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