From the lands of Forbes in Aberdeenshire. A charter in Wood's edition of Douglas's Peerage which says that Alexander, earl of Buchan granted to Fergus, son of John of Forbes, the lands of Forbes has been misread. The name there should read John of Fothes, son of Fergus de Fothes, now Fiddes. Duncan de Forbeys, according to a charter lost since 1730, received a grant of the lands from Alexander III c. 1272. John de Fernboys who rendered homage, 1296 (Bain, II, 730), was probably a Forbes. His name does not occur again. Another John Forbes or Forbees occurs in an English roll of c. 1306 (Palgrave, III. docs., p. 312,314), and a third John de Forbes was dominus ejusdem, 1358 (Ulus., IV, p. 716). William of Forbace was canon of Aberdeen, 1464 (Laing, 152). Annabell Fobess was buried in the Kirk of Dysart, 1589 (Dysart, p. 41). B. C. Forbes, financial editor of the New York Journal of Commerce and founder of Forbes magazine, a fortnightly for business men, was born in Fedderate, Aberdeenshire. In the French Archer Musterrolls is Thom Fort Bays for Tom Forbes. The old fashion of pronouncing this name was dissyllabic but nowadays the pronunciation is in one syllable. Thomson in his Autumn has it dissyllabic:

"The Forbes, too, whom every worth attends."

And Sir Walter Scott in Marmion (IV., intro.) has it:

"Scarce had lamented Forbes paid

The tribute to his minstrel's shade."Stolen from Fore-bears

When the new form first became fashionable it was said that it would "throw Lady Fettes (2 syll.) into Fits," and Keith Leask refers to". unsanctified snobs That could mangle the sound of a fine Scottish name And whittle it down into-Fobbs."

Interamna Borealis, 1917, p. 98.

Forbas 1505, Forbose 1537, Forebess 1669, Forbss 1695.

Among distinguished men of the name we might include Giolla Íosa Mór Mac Firbis, the main compiler of the Book of Lecan (1417). O'Donovan's notes to the Tribes and Customs of Hy Fiachra will be found useful; O'Farrell's History of Co. Longford may also be consulted.

(Celtic) belonging to Forbes (Aberdeen­shire) [prob. Old Gaelic forba, a field + the English pl. suff. -s]

A Scottish family settled in Co. Longford. Also the anglicized form of MacFirbis, q.v. IF 292; SIF 158

Place name in Aberdeenshire.

(Scottish) One from Forbes (field place), in Aberdeenshire.

A town and barony in Aberdeenshire. The family possessed that lordship as early as temp. William the Lion, and were seated at Pitscottie in the same shire in 1476. Debrett. See Art. Coulthart.

An old tradition records that in 870, Solvathius Forbes married Moravilla, daughter of King Gregory the Great. Another account states that, one Achonacher came from Ireland to Scotland about the end of the twelfth century, and having slain a monstrous wild boar, took the name of For-bear, afterwards turned to Forbeas, and used a boar's head in his arms to commemorate the deed. In the southeast comer of the parish of Auchindon, is a spring, called the Nine Maidens Well, near which nine virgins were slain by a wild boar. The boar was afterwards killed by a young chief of the name of Forbes, the lover of one of the maidens. From this circumstance, the boar's head is now borne by the Forbes in their arms. This chieftain, who was named John de Forbes, was owner of the lands of Forbes in 1214; his son, Fergus de Forbes, was father of Alexander Forbes, whose son, Alexander Forbes, was the father of Sir John Forbes, who had three sons, Sir Alexander, Sir William, and Sir John: and from these three brothers are descended the families of Forbes.

Local. Lands free from military service, called Saor Forba, or free lands. The name of a parish in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

A location name in Aberdeensh.