Foerster

Foerster is a surname of German origin, an alternative spelling of Förster, which denotes the occupation of a forester or forest warden in German-speaking communities. The Foerster spelling reflects transliteration into English when umlauts are not used, and variants include Foerster and Förster.

Historically, the name would have been tied to individuals employed in forest administration and woodland management in German-speaking regions. As with many occupational surnames, Foerster spread beyond its local roots through migration, and bearers can be found in the United States, Canada, and other countries with German diaspora communities.

In contemporary usage, Foerster is primarily a family name and may appear in biographical, genealogical, and cultural contexts. It is related to, but distinct from, the more common variant Förster and to the English surname Foster, which shares the same occupational origin.

See also Förster, a closely related spelling with a similar origin; Foster, an anglicized variant. For broader disambiguation, Foerster may appear in various biographical references where the context concerns individuals bearing the surname.