Person:Robert Foster (2)

"Foster is an Anglo-Saxon surname of ancient origin and noble lineage. It is derived from the occupational source - in this case from "the forester." In the English Middle Ages, the forests and woods were almost always owned or controlled by the lord of the manor -- but people had no reservations about sneaking in and taking firewood, game, or whatever else they might require. To keep the poaching to a minimum, the lord retained a man to watch the forest -- often called a Forester, and sometimes called a Foster. The name stuck as an English Occupation surname when they became adopted. The name was also taken from the place of residence of the family in a forest, or wild wooded country.

Foster, the spelling of this branch of the family, is a contraction of the original spelling of Forester."