Foss Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Foss last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Foss last name
Meaning of the Foss last name: ditch / waterfall. Foss is an English and Norwegian surname. In England it comes from Old English foss, "ditch", for someone living by one; in Norway it means "waterfall". The last name is found in England, Norway and the American Midwest. This family name meaning thus points to water in both countries.
Arms associated with the Foss name
In English heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Foss name are described in a blazon, a short formal text.
Get your full Foss family history
This is only a glimpse of the Foss story. The full Foss history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Foss coat of arms. Get the full Foss report.
Foss name FAQ
What does the Foss name mean?
Ditch / waterfall. Common variants include Fosse, Vos.
Where does the Foss surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Foss coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Foss coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).