Origin of Surname FORSYTH

'This interesting surname is of early medieval Scottish origin,
and has two distinct possible sources, each with its own history
and derivation.

'Firstly, Forsyth may be of locational origin from some minor,
or now lost place called "Fersith" or "Forsith", believed to have
been in Midlothian. The component elements of the placename
are most likely the Old Gaelic "fer", grass, or "for", hill, mound,
with "si(the)", fairies; hence, "fairy mound", or "fairy pastures".
Locational surnames, such as this, were originally given to local
landowners, and the lord of the manor, and especially as a
means of identification to those who left their birthplace to
settle elsewhere. William de Fersith was one of an inquest in
Edinburgh (1402), and Thomas de Forsyth witnessed a precept
by Robert dominus de Lyle in 1452.

'The surname may also derive from the Olde Gaelic personal
name "Fearsithe", a compound of the elements "fear", man,
with "sithe", peace. Osbert filius (son of) Forsyth had a charter
of a hundred shilling land in the tenement of Salahill, Stirling,
from Robert 1, circa 1308. An interesting bearer of the name
was Alexander John Forsyth (1769 - 1843), who was offered
20,000 lira by Napoleon to reveal the secret of the percussion
lock which he invented.

'The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be
that of William de Fersith, bailie of Edinburgh, which was dated
1365, in the "Early Medieval Records of Scotland", during the
reign of King David 11 of Scotland, 1329 - 1371.

'Surnames became necessary when governments introduced
personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax.
Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have
continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants
of the original spelling.'

http://www.surnamedb.com/surname.aspx?name=Forsyth