Foster (surname)

This article is about the surname "Foster". For the given name, see Foster (given name). For other uses, see Foster (disambiguation).

The surname Foster is a variation of the name Forster, meaning one who 'works in the forest'.^[1] It may also derive from the French forcetier, meaning 'maker of scissors'.

In the 2010 United States Census, Foster ranked #99 in surname popularity.^[2]

Notable people with the surname "Foster" include

A

• Abiel Foster (1735–1806), American religious leader and politician
• A. Carville Foster (born 1932), American politician
• Addison G. Foster (1837–1917), American businessman
• Adriance S. Foster (1901–1973), American botanist
• Adrianna Foster (born 1986), Mexican musician
• Akeem Foster (born 1987), Canadian football player
• Al Foster (born 1943), American jazz drummer
• A. Lawrence Foster (1802–1877), American politician
• Alexander Foster (rugby union) (1890–1972), Irish rugby union footballer
• Alexandra Föster (born 2002), German rower
• Alison Foster (born 1957), British judge
• Allan Foster (1925–1987), Australian politician
• Allen Foster (1887–1916), English footballer
• Amos Foster (1880–1952), American football player
• Ami Foster, American actress
• Andrea Foster (born 1997), Guyanese runner
• Andy Foster (politician) (born 1961), New Zealand politician
• Andy Foster (sports commissioner) (born 1979), American athletic administrator
• Angelique Foster, British politician
• Ann Foster (1617–1692), English witch
• Ann Foster (died 1674) (??–1674), English witch
• Anna Foster (born 1979), English radio presenter
• Anthony Foster (1705–1779), Irish politician
• Anthony Foster (activist) (1953–2017), Australian activist
• Antigone Foster, English-Australian recording artist
• Arian Foster (born 1986), American football player
• Arlene Foster (born 1970), Northern Ireland politician
• Augustus Foster (1780–1848), British diplomat

B

• Basil Foster (1882–1959), English actor and cricketer
• Belinda J. Foster, American attorney
• Bernard Foster (born 1931), British boxer
• Bert Foster (1906–1942), Australian rules footballer
• Bertha Foster (1881–1968), American academic administrator
• Bertie Foster (1884–1959), English footballer
• Billy Foster (1937–1967), Canadian auto racing driver
• Blake Foster (born 1985), American actor
• Bobby Foster (1929–2006), English footballer
• Brandon Foster (born 1984), American football player
• Bren Foster, Australian actor
• Brenda Jefferson Foster (1955–2010), American witness
• Brendan Foster (born 1948), British runner
• Brenden Foster (1997–2008), American fundraiser
• Brent Foster (born 1967), New Zealand athlete
• Brent Foster (director) (born 1982), Canadian film director
• Bruce Foster, American engineer
• Bryson Foster, American activist
• Bud Foster (born 1959), American football coach
• Buddy Foster (born 1957), American actor

C

• C. Allen Foster (born 1941), American lawyer
• Carey Foster (1835–1919), English chemist
• Carlton Foster (1826–1901), American businessman and politician
• Caroline Rose Foster (1877–1979), American farmer
• Carson Foster (born 2001), American swimmer
• Cassius Gaius Foster (1837–1899), American judge
• Cathy Foster (born 1956), British sailor
• Cecil Foster (born 1954), Canadian writer
• Cecil G. Foster (1925–2016), American pilot
• Cheryl Foster (born 1980), Welsh football referee
• Claiborne Foster (1896–1981), American actress
• Clare Foster (born 1980), British actress
• Clement le Neve Foster (1841–1904), British geologist
• Clyde Foster (1931–2019), American scientist and mathematician
• Colin Foster (born 1964), English footballer
• Colin Foster (footballer, born 1952) (born 1952), English footballer
• Corey Foster (born 1969), Canadian ice hockey player
• C. Stephen Foster, American ophthalmologist
• C. W. Foster (1866–1935), English clergyman

D

• Dale Foster (born 1958), Australian rules footballer
• Daren Foster (born 1966), English cricketer
• Darryl Foster (born 1961), American activist
• Daryl Foster (born 1938), Australian cricket coach
• Dawn Foster (1986–2021), British journalist
• D'Chrome Foster (born 1977), American singer
• Defne Joy Foster (1975–2011), Turkish actress
• DeShaun Foster (born 1980), American football player
• Diane Foster (1928–1999), Canadian track athlete
• Diane Foster (curler) (born 1955/1956), Canadian curler
• Dianne Foster (1928–2019), Canadian actress
• Dixon Foster (1888–1973), American athletic coach
• D. J. Foster (born 1993), American football player
• Dodshon Foster (1730–1793), English merchant
• Donte Foster (born 1990), American football player
• Dudley Foster (1925–1973), British actor
• Duke Foster (1929–1973), American football player
• Dwayne Foster, American football coach

E

• Ebenezer Foster (??–1792), English judge
• Eddie Foster (1887–1927), American baseball player
• Eddie Foster (American football) (born 1954), American football player
• Edith Dunham Foster (1864–1950), American filmmaker
• Edna Foster (1900–??), American actress
• Edwin Michael Foster (1917–2013), American microbiologist and food scientist
• Eileen Foster, American corporate executive
• Eleazer Foster (1841–1899), American lawyer
• Eleazer Kingsbury Foster (1813–1877), American lawyer and politician
• Elena Ochoa Foster (born 1958), Spanish art curator
• Eliza Foster (1802–1888), English author
• Eliza Clayland Tomlinson Foster (1788–1855), American settler
• Elmer Foster (1861–1946), American baseball player
• E. M. Foster, English novelist
• Émilie Foster, Canadian politician
• Emily Foster (1842–1897), New Zealand teacher
• Emmanuel Foster (1921–1965), English footballer
• Emory S. Foster (1839–1902), American general
• Enid Foster (1895–1979), American sculptor
• Enoch Foster (1839–1913), American judge
• E. P. Foster (1848–1932), American entrepreneur
• Ephraim H. Foster (1794–1854), American politician
• Erin Foster, American writer
• Ernest Foster (1873–1956), English cricketer
• Eugie Foster (1971–2014), American columnist
• Evelyn Foster (1902–1931), English taxi driver
• Ezola Foster (1938–2018), American activist

F

• Fiona Foster, British television journalist
• Foz Foster (born 1960), English composer
• Frances Foster (1924–1997), American actress
• Fred Foster (1931–2019), American record producer
• Freddie Foster (born 1995), English cricketer
• Frederic de Peyster Foster (1849–1929), American lawyer
• Fredericka Foster (born 1944), American artist

G

• G. C. Foster (1885–1966), Jamaican sportsman
• Gene Foster (born 1942), American football player
• Genevieve Foster (1893–1979), American illustrator
• Geoffrey Foster (1884–1971), English cricketer
• Gerald Foster (painter) (1900–1987), American painter
• Gigi Foster, Australian economist
• Gilbert Lafayette Foster (1874–1940), Canadian surgeon general
• Giles Foster, English television director
• Gillian Foster (born 1976), Australian footballer
• Giraud Foster (1850–1945), American businessman
• Glen Foster (1930–1999), American sailor
• Glen Foster (comedian), Canadian comedian
• Glenn Foster (1990–2021), American football player
• Gloria Foster (1933–2001), American actress
• Gordon Foster (1921–2010), Irish engineer
• Graças Foster (born 1953), Brazilian businesswoman
• Graeme Foster, Australian rugby league footballer
• Grant Foster (born 1945), Australian composer
• Gregory Foster (1866–1931), English academic administrator
• Gwendolyn Audrey Foster (born 1960), American academic
• Gwin Foster (1903–1954), American guitarist
• Guy Mark Foster, American writer

H

• Hadley Foster (born 1975), American athletics administrator
• Hal Foster (1892–1982), Canadian-American comic writer
• Hal Foster (art critic) (born 1955), American art critic
• Hannah Webster Foster (1758/1759–1840), American novelist
• Heather Foster (born 1966), Jamaican-American bodybuilder
• Herman Foster (1928–1999), American pianist
• Hubert Foster (1855–1919), British army officer
• Hugh F. Foster Jr. (1918–2004), American general
• Hunter Foster (born 1969), American entertainer

I

• Idris Foster (1911–1984), Welsh scholar
• Ira Roe Foster (1811–1885), American teacher and politician
• Isaiah Foster (born 2003), American soccer player
• Israel Moore Foster (1873–1950), American politician
• Ivan Foster (born 1943), Northern Irish minister

J

• Jabez Foster (footballer) (1902–??), English footballer
• Jackie Foster (1903–1936), English footballer
• Jacqueline Foster, British politician
• Jacqueline Foster (bowls) (born 1975), Canadian lawn bowler
• Jake Foster (born 1988), Australian rugby league footballer
• Jarrey Foster (born 1996), American basketball player
• Jason Foster (born 1988), American football player
• Jayson Foster (born 1985), American football player
• J. D. Foster (born 1953), American record producer
• Jean Foster (born 1972), American sports shooter
• Jeanne Robert Foster (1879–1970), American poet
• Jeannette Howard Foster (1895–1981), American librarian
• Jedediah Foster (1726–1779), English judge
• Je'Kel Foster (born 1983), American basketball player
• Jen Foster, American singer-songwriter
• Jennifer Foster, English archaeologist
• Jennifer Foster (equestrian) (born 1964), Canadian equestrian
• Jerome Foster II (born 2002), American activist
• Jerome Foster (American football) (born 1960), American football player
• Jerry Foster (1907–1984), Scottish rugby union footballer
• J. Morris Foster (1881–1966), American actor
• Joana Foster (1946–2016), Ghanaian-British activist
• Joanna Foster (born 1964), British actress
• Jodie Foster (born 1962), American actress
• Joel Foster (1814–1945), American farmer
• Joey Foster (born 1982), British racing driver
• Josephine Foster, American musician
• Joshua L. Foster (1824–1900), American architect
• Joy Foster, Jamaican table tennis player
• Joyce Foster (born 1944), American politician
• Judith Ellen Foster (1840–1910), American lecturer
• Julia Foster (born 1943), English actress
• Juliann Bluitt Foster (1938–2019), American dentist
• Julie Foster (born 1969), Canadian rugby union footballer
• Juliette Foster (born 1964), British television journalist

K

• Kareem Foster (born 2000), Caymanian footballer
• Karith Foster (born 1974), American comedian
• Kathi Foster (born 1947), American politician
• Kathryn Foster, American soap opera director
• Keith Foster (born 1948), Jamaican singer
• Kenny Foster (born 1985), American mixed martial artist
• Kent Foster (born 1938), British military officer
• Kitty Foster (1790–1863), American freed slave
• Kmele Foster (born 1980), American entrepreneur
• Kris Foster (born 1974), American baseball player
• Krishna Foster (born 1970), American chemist
• Kurtis Foster (born 1981), Canadian ice hockey player

L

• Lafayette S. Foster (1806–1880), American politician and judge
• Larry Foster (born 1976), American football player
• Larry Foster (baseball) (born 1937), American baseball player
• Lawrence Foster (born 1941), American conductor
• Leland Foster (1910–??), American baseball player
• Leo Foster (born 1951), American baseball player
• Leon Foster (1913–1991), Barbadian cricketer
• Lewis Foster (born 1993), English rugby league footballer
• Lewis R. Foster (1898–1974), American screenwriter
• Lilibet Foster, American film director
• Lillian Foster (??–1963), Canadian journalist
• Linae Foster, American video game producer
• Lindsay Foster (??–2020), Australian judge
• Lisa Foster, Canadian actress
• Little Willy Foster (1922–1987), American singer-songwriter
• Lizzie Foster (1856–1948), British archer
• Lori Foster, American writer
• Lorraine Foster (born 1938), American mathematician
• Louis Foster (born 2003), British racing driver
• Lucas Foster, American film producer
• Lucas Foster (snowboarder) (born 1999), American snowboarder
• Lucia Foster, American economist
• Lucian R. Foster (1806–1876), American photographer
• Luke Foster (born 1985), English footballer
• Luther H. Foster (1827–1876), American businessman
• Luther H. Foster Jr. (1913–1994), American academic administrator
• Lydia Mary Foster (1867–1943), Irish writer
• Lyle Foster (born 2000), South African footballer
• Lynn Foster (1914–1985), Australian playwright

M

• M. A. Foster (born 1939), American writer
• Maalique Foster (born 1996), Jamaican footballer
• Mac Foster (1942–2010), American boxer
• Marcia Lane Foster (1897–1983), English artist
• Marcus Foster (1923–1973), American educator
• Marcus Foster (basketball) (born 1995), American basketball player
• Margaretta Foster (1737–1824), Irish peeress
• Margot Foster (born 1958), Australian rower
• Marian Foster (born 1948), English television presenter
• Marie Foster (1917–2003), American activist
• Marion Foster (writer) (1924–1997), Canadian broadcaster
• Martha M. Foster, American business executive
• Marty Foster (born 1963), American baseball umpire
• Mary-Jane Foster, American lawyer
• Mason Foster (born 1989), American football player
• Matt Foster (born 1995), American baseball player
• Matthew Foster (born 2000), Irish cricketer
• Matty Foster (born 2001), English rugby league footballer
• Max Foster (born 1972), American news correspondent
• Mayhew Foster (1911–2011), American soldier
• Meg Foster, American actress
• Megan Foster (born 1992), American rugby union footballer
• Melvin Foster (born 1971), American boxer
• Mercedes S. Foster (born 1942), American zoologist
• Mo Foster (born 1944), English instrumentalist
• Morris Foster (1936–2020), Irish cyclist
• Morrison Foster (1823–1904), American business agent
• Mulford B. Foster (1888–1978), American botanist
• Muriel Foster (1877–1937), English soprano
• Murphy J. Foster (1849–1921), American politician
• Murray Foster (born 1967), Canadian musician
• Myles Birket Foster (1825–1899), English painter

N

• Nancilea Foster (born 1983), American diver
• Nat Foster (1766–1840), American pioneer
• Neal Foster (born 1972), American politician
• Neil Foster (born 1962), English cricketer
• Neville Foster (1890–1978), English cricketer
• Nick Foster, British composer
• Nick Foster (racing driver) (born 1965), British auto racing driver
• Norris Foster (1855–1925), English barrister

O

• Orpha Woods Foster (1850–1938), American pioneer
• Otha Foster (born 1988), American football player
• Owen Foster (born 2005), English footballer

P

• Pat Foster (born 1939), American basketball coach
• Patrick Foster (born 1987), Kenyan-English cricketer
• Paulinus Foster (1811–1861), American lawyer and politician
• Phil Foster (1913–1985), American actor
• Phil Foster (politician) (born 1958), American politician
• Philip Foster (1805–1884), American businessman
• Philip Foster (British politician) (1865–1933), American politician
• Phoebe Foster (1896–1975), American actress
• Pop Foster (1878–1944), American baseball player
• Pops Foster (1892–1969), American musician
• Preston Foster (1901–1970), American actor

R

• Radney Foster (born 1959), American musician
• Ramon Foster (born 1986), American football player
• Randolph Foster (athlete) (born 1968), Costa Rican sprinter
• Randolph Sinks Foster (1820–1903), American bishop
• R. E. Foster (1878–1914), English cricketer and footballer
• Reb Foster (1936–2019), American disc jockey
• Rebecca Salome Foster (1848–1902), American missionary
• Red Dawn Foster, American politician
• Reddy Foster (1864–1908), American baseball player
• Reg Foster (1904–1999), British journalist
• Renardo Foster (born 1984), American football player
• Reuben Foster (born 1994), American football player
• Rick Foster, American guitarist
• R. L. Foster (1919–2005), American politician
• Roberta Foster (born 1961), Barbadian equestrian
• Robin B. Foster, American botanist
• Rod Foster (born 1960), American basketball player
• Rodney Foster (born 1941), English golfer
• Roger Sherman Baldwin Foster (1857–1924), American lawyer
• Ronnie Foster (born 1950), American musician
• Rube Foster (1879–1930), American baseball player
• Rube Foster (AL pitcher) (1888–1976), American baseball player
• Rufus Edward Foster (1871–1942), American judge
• Rusty Foster, American programmer
• Ruth Foster (1920–2012), American actress
• Ruthie Foster (born 1964), American singer-songwriter
• Ryan Foster (born 1988), American runner
• Rylee Foster (born 1988), Canadian soccer player

S

• Sally Foster, Scottish archaeologist
• Sesshu Foster (born 1957), American poet
• Sewell Foster (1792–1868), Canadian politician
• Shan Foster (born 1986), American basketball player
• Shanise Foster (born 1993), Jamaican footballer
• Shawn Foster, American television director
• Sheri Foster (born 1957), American actress
• Sidney Foster (1917–1977), American pianist
• Stacie Foster, American actress
• Stan Foster, American actor
• Stanley Foster (1885–1965), New Zealand surgeon
• Stella Foster, American journalist
• Stephanie Foster (born 1958), American rower
• Stephanie Foster (politician) (born 1967), American politician
• Sue Foster, English snooker player
• Susanna Foster (1924–2009), American actress
• Sutton Foster (born 1975), American entertainer
• Sydney Foster (1921–2007), Jamaican hurdler
• Sydney F. Foster (1893–1973), American judge

T

• Tameka Foster (born 1971), American fashion stylist
• Terry Foster (born 1959), American sports columnist
• Theodore Foster (1752–1828), American politician
• Tiffany Foster (born 1984), Canadian equestrian
• Tina Monshipour Foster, Iranian-American lawyer
• Toby Foster (born 1969), British comedian
• Todd Foster (born 1967), American boxer
• Toni Foster (born 1971), American basketball player
• Tony Foster (1853–1918), New Zealand lecturer
• Tony Foster (artist) (born 1946), British environmentalist
• Trevor Foster (1914–2005), Welsh rugby union footballer
• Trevor Foster (drummer), English drummer

V

• Vera Chandler Foster (1915–2001), American social worker
• Vere Foster (1819–1900), English philanthropist
• Veronica Foster (1922–2000), Canadian cultural figure
• Vince Foster (1945–1993), American attorney
• Vine Cynthia Colby Foster (1852–1878), American medical practitioner

W

• Warren Foster (1904–1971), American writer
• Wayne Foster (born 1963), English footballer
• Wendell Foster (1924–2019), American politician
• Wilder D. Foster (1819–1873), American politician
• Wilfrid Foster (1874–1958), English army officer and cricketer
• Winston Foster (born 1941), English footballer

Y

• Yip Foster (1907–1978), Canadian ice hockey player

Disambiguation pages

A

• Adrian Foster (disambiguation)
• Alan Foster (disambiguation)
• Alex Foster (disambiguation)
• Alfred Foster (disambiguation)
• Amy Foster (disambiguation)
• Andrew Foster (disambiguation)
• Arthur Foster (disambiguation)
• Asa Foster (disambiguation)

B

• Barry Foster (disambiguation)
• Ben Foster (disambiguation)
• Bill Foster (disambiguation)
• Bob Foster (disambiguation)
• Bradley Foster (disambiguation)
• Brian Foster (disambiguation)

C

• Catherine Foster (disambiguation)
• Charles Foster (disambiguation)
• Christopher Foster (disambiguation)
• Craig Foster (disambiguation)

D

• Daniel Foster (disambiguation)
• David Foster (disambiguation)
• Derek Foster (disambiguation)
• Donald Foster (disambiguation)
• Douglas Foster (disambiguation)
• Dwight Foster (disambiguation)

E

• Edward Foster (disambiguation)
• Eric Foster (disambiguation)

F

• Frank Foster (disambiguation)
• Frederick Foster (disambiguation)

G

• Gary Foster (disambiguation)
• Geoff Foster (disambiguation)
• George Foster (disambiguation)
• Graham Foster (disambiguation)
• Greg Foster (disambiguation)

H

• Harold Foster (disambiguation)
• Harry Foster (disambiguation)
• Helen Foster (disambiguation)
• Henry Foster (disambiguation)

I

• Ian Foster (disambiguation)

J

• Jack Foster (disambiguation)
• James Foster (disambiguation)
• Jane Foster (disambiguation)
• Jeff Foster (disambiguation)
• Jim Foster (disambiguation)
• John Foster (disambiguation)
• Jon Foster (disambiguation)
• Joseph Foster (disambiguation)

K

• Kate Foster (disambiguation)
• Kathleen Foster (disambiguation)
• Kathy Foster (disambiguation)
• Kenneth Foster (disambiguation)
• Kevin Foster (disambiguation)
• Kimberly Foster (disambiguation)

L

• Leroy Foster (disambiguation)
• Linda Foster (disambiguation)

M

• Margaret Foster (disambiguation)
• Mark Foster (disambiguation)
• Martin Foster (disambiguation)
• Mary Foster (disambiguation)
• Maurice Foster (disambiguation)
• Michael Foster (disambiguation)

N

• Nathaniel Foster (disambiguation)
• Nigel Foster (disambiguation)
• Norman Foster (disambiguation)

P

• Paul Foster (disambiguation)
• Peter Foster (disambiguation)

R

• Ralph Foster (disambiguation)
• Red Foster (disambiguation)
• Reginald Foster (disambiguation)
• R. F. Foster (disambiguation)
• Richard Foster (disambiguation)
• Robert Foster (disambiguation)
• Ron Foster (disambiguation)
• Roy Foster (disambiguation)

S

• Samuel Foster (disambiguation)
• Sarah Foster (disambiguation)
• Scott Foster (disambiguation)
• Stephen Foster (disambiguation)
• Steve Foster (disambiguation)

T

• Thomas Foster (disambiguation)
• Timothy Foster (disambiguation)

W

• Walter Foster (disambiguation)
• Will Foster (disambiguation)
• William Foster (disambiguation)

Fictional characters

• Aidan Foster, a character on the soap opera Neighbours
• Anne Foster, a character on the soap opera Coronation Street
• Cassandra Foster, a character on the All My Children
• Jonny Foster, a character on the soap opera Emmerdale
• Snapper Foster, a character on soap opera The Young and the Restless

See also

• Foster (given name), a page for people with the given name "Foster"
• Foster (disambiguation), a disambiguation page for "Foster"
• Forster (disambiguation), a disambiguation page for "Forster"
• Attorney General Foster (disambiguation), a disambiguation page for Attorney Generals surnamed "Foster"
• Doctor Foster (disambiguation), a disambiguation page for Doctors surnamed "Foster"
• General Foster (disambiguation), a disambiguation page for Generals surnamed "Foster"
• Governor Foster (disambiguation), a disambiguation page for Governors surnamed "Foster"
• Justice Foster (disambiguation), a disambiguation page for Justices surnamed "Foster"
• Lord Foster (disambiguation), a disambiguation page for Lord surnamed "Foster"
• Senator Foster (disambiguation), a disambiguation page for Senators surnamed "Foster"

Notes

1. "Foster Name Meaning". ancestry.com. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
2. "Foster Last Name Popularity, Meaning, and Origin". namecensus.com. Retrieved October 23, 2022.