The given name Foster is a variation of the surname Forster, meaning one who 'works in the forest'. It may also derive from the French forcetier, meaning 'maker of scissors'. It is both a given name and a surname.
In the 2010 United States Census, Foster ranked #99 in surname popularity.
Notable people with the surname "Foster" include
A A. Lawrence Foster (1802–1877), American politician Abiel Foster (1735–1806), American religious leader and politician A. Carville Foster (1932–2022), American politician Addison G. Foster (1837–1917), American businessman Adriance S. Foster (1901–1973), American botanist Adrianna Foster (born 1986), Mexican musician Akeem Foster (born 1987), Canadian football player Al Foster (1943–2025), American jazz drummer Alexander Foster (rugby union) (1890–1972), Irish rugby union footballer Alexandra Föster (born 2002), German rower Alison Foster (born 1957), British judge Allan Foster (1925–1987), Australian politician Allen Foster (1887–1916), English footballer Amos Foster (1880–1952), American football player Ami Foster (born 1975), American actress Andrea Foster (born 1997), Guyanese runner Andy Foster (politician) (born 1961), New Zealand politician Andy Foster (sports commissioner) (born 1979), American athletic administrator Angelique Foster, British politician Ann Foster (c.1617–1692), English witch Ann Foster (died 1674) (??–1674), English witch Anna Foster (journalist) (born 1979), English radio presenter Anthony Foster (1705–1779), Irish politician Anthony Foster (activist) (1953–2017), Australian activist Antigone Foster, English-Australian recording artist Arian Foster (born 1986), American football player Arlene Foster (born 1970), Northern Ireland politician Augustus Foster (1780–1848), British diplomat
B Basil Foster (1882–1959), English actor and cricketer Belinda J. Foster, American attorney Bernard Foster (born 1931), British boxer Bert Foster (1906–1942), Australian rules footballer Bertha Foster (1881–1968), American academic administrator Bertie Foster (1884–1959), English footballer Billy Foster (1937–1967), Canadian auto racing driver Blake Foster (born 1985), American actor Bobby Foster (1929–2006), English footballer Bon Foster (1955–1991), American lawyer Brandon Foster (born 1984), American football player Bren Foster, Australian actor Brenda Jefferson Foster (1955–2010), American witness Brendan Foster (born 1948), British runner Brenden Foster (1997–2008), American fundraiser Brent Foster (born 1967), New Zealand athlete Brent Foster (director) (born 1982), Canadian film director Brigitte Foster-Hylton (born 1974), retired Jamaican athlete Bruce Foster, American engineer Bryce Foster (born 2002), American football player Bryson Foster, American activist Bud Foster (born 1959), American football coach Buddy Foster (born 1957), American actor
C C. Allen Foster (born 1941), American lawyer Caleb Foster (born 2004), American basketball player Cameron Foster (born 1999), American baseball player Carey Foster (1835–1919), English chemist Carla Foster, British social figure Carlton Foster (1826–1901), American businessman and politician Caroline Rose Foster (1877–1979), American farmer Carson Foster (born 2001), American swimmer Cassius Gaius Foster (1837–1899), American judge Cathy Foster (born 1956), British sailor Cecil Foster (born 1954), Canadian writer Cecil G. Foster (1925–2016), American pilot Charles Foster, multiple people Cheryl Foster (born 1980), Welsh football referee Claiborne Foster (1896–1981), American actress Clare Foster (born 1980), British actress Clement le Neve Foster (1841–1904), British geologist Clive Foster, Christian pastor and UK's first Windrush Commissioner Clyde Foster (1931–2019), American scientist and mathematician Colin Foster (born 1964), English footballer Colin Foster (footballer, born 1952) (born 1952), English footballer Corey Foster (born 1969), Canadian ice hockey player C. Stephen Foster, American ophthalmologist C. W. Foster (1866–1935), English clergyman
D Dale Foster (born 1958), Australian rules footballer Daren Foster (born 1966), English cricketer Darryl Foster (born 1961), American activist Daryl Foster (born 1938), Australian cricket coach Dawn Foster (1986–2021), British journalist D'Chrome Foster (born 1977), American singer Defne Joy Foster (1975–2011), Turkish actress DeShaun Foster (born 1980), American football player Diane Foster (sprinter) (1928–1999), Canadian track athlete Diane Foster (curler) (born 1955/1956), Canadian curler Dianne Foster (1928–2019), Canadian actress Dixon Foster (1888–1973), American athletic coach D. J. Foster (born 1993), American football player Dodshon Foster (1730–1793), English merchant Donte Foster (born 1990), American football player Dudley Foster (1925–1973), British actor Duke Foster (1929–1973), American football player Dwayne Foster, American football coach
E Ebenezer Foster (??–1792), English judge Eddie Foster (baseball) (1887–1927), American baseball player Eddie Foster (American football) (born 1954), American football player Edith Dunham Foster (1864–1950), American filmmaker Edna Foster (1900–??), American actress Edwin Michael Foster (1917–2013), American microbiologist and food scientist Eileen Foster, American corporate executive Eleazer Foster (1841–1899), American lawyer Eleazer Kingsbury Foster (1813–1877), American lawyer and politician Elena Ochoa Foster (born 1958), Spanish art curator Eliza Foster (1802–1888), English author Eliza Clayland Tomlinson Foster (1788–1855), American settler Elmer Foster (1861–1946), American baseball player E. M. Foster, English novelist Émilie Foster, Canadian politician Emily Foster (1842–1897), New Zealand teacher Emmanuel Foster (1921–1965), English footballer Emory S. Foster (1839–1902), American general Enid Foster (1895–1979), American sculptor Enoch Foster (1839–1913), American judge E. P. Foster (1848–1932), American entrepreneur Ephraim H. Foster (1794–1854), American politician Erin Foster, American writer Ernest Foster (1873–1956), English cricketer Eugie Foster (1971–2014), American columnist Evelyn Foster (1902–1931), English taxi driver Ezola Foster (1938–2018), American activist
F Fiona Foster, British television journalist Flora Foster (??–1914), American actress Foz Foster (born 1960), English composer Frances Foster (1924–1997), American actress Francis Foster, English comedian, podcaster Fred Foster (1931–2019), American record producer Freddie Foster (born 1995), English cricketer Frederic de Peyster Foster (1849–1929), American lawyer Fredericka Foster (born 1944), American artist
G G. C. Foster (1885–1966), Jamaican sportsman Gene Foster (born 1942), American football player Genevieve Foster (1893–1979), American illustrator Geoffrey Foster (1884–1971), English cricketer Gerald Foster (painter) (1900–1987), American painter Gigi Foster, Australian economist Gilbert Lafayette Foster (1874–1940), Canadian surgeon general Giles Foster, English television director Gillian Foster (born 1976), Australian footballer Giraud Foster (1850–1945), American businessman Glen Foster (1930–1999), American sailor Glen Foster (comedian), Canadian comedian Glenn Foster (1990–2021), American football player Gloria Foster (1933–2001), American actress Gordon Foster (1921–2010), Irish engineer Graças Foster (born 1953), Brazilian businesswoman Graeme Foster, Australian rugby league footballer Grant Foster (born 1945), Australian composer Gregory Foster (1866–1931), English academic administrator Gwendolyn Audrey Foster (born 1960), American academic Gwin Foster (1903–1954), American guitarist Guy Mark Foster, American writer
H Hadley Foster (born 1975), American athletics administrator Hal Foster (1892–1982), Canadian-American comic writer Hal Foster (art critic) (born 1955), American art critic Hannah Webster Foster (1758/1759–1840), American novelist Harold D. Foster (1943–2009), Canadian geographer and geomorphologist Heather Foster (born 1966), Jamaican-American bodybuilder Herman Foster (1928–1999), American pianist Hubert Foster (1855–1919), British army officer Hugh F. Foster Jr. (1918–2004), American general Hunter Foster (born 1969), American entertainer
I Idris Foster (1911–1984), Welsh scholar Ira Roe Foster (1811–1885), American teacher and politician Isaiah Foster (born 2003), American soccer player Israel Moore Foster (1873–1950), American politician Ivan Foster (born 1943), Northern Irish minister
J Jabez Foster (footballer) (1902–??), English footballer Jackie Foster (1903–??), English footballer Jacqueline Foster (born 1947), British politician Jacqueline Foster (bowls) (born 1975), Canadian lawn bowler Jakari Foster (born 2003), American football player Jake Foster (born 1988), Australian rugby league footballer Jamie S. Foster, American biologist Jarrey Foster (born 1996), American basketball player Jason Foster (born 1988), American football player Javon Foster (born 2000), American football player Jayson Foster (born 1985), American football player J. D. Foster (born 1953), American record producer Jean Foster (born 1972), American sports shooter Jeanne Robert Foster (1879–1970), American poet Jeannette Howard Foster (1895–1981), American librarian Jedediah Foster (1726–1779), English judge Jeff Foster (disambiguation), multiple people Je'Kel Foster (born 1983), American basketball player Jen Foster, American singer-songwriter Jennifer Foster, English archaeologist Jennifer Foster (equestrian) (born 1964), Canadian equestrian Jerome Foster II (born 2002), American activist Jerome Foster (American football) (born 1960), American football player Jerry Foster (1907–1984), Scottish rugby union footballer J. Morris Foster (1881–1966), American actor Joana Foster (1946–2016), Ghanaian-British activist Joanna Foster (born 1964), British actress Jodie Foster (born 1962), American actress Joel Foster (1814–1945), American farmer Joey Foster (born 1982), British racing driver Jonathan Foster (musician) (born 1979), American singer-songwriter and musician Josephine Foster, American musician Joshua L. Foster (1824–1900), American architect Joy Foster, Jamaican table tennis player Joyce Foster (born 1944), American politician Judith Ellen Foster (1840–1910), American lecturer Julia Foster (born 1943), English actress Juliann Bluitt Foster (1938–2019), American dentist Julie Foster (born 1969), Canadian rugby union footballer Juliette Foster (born 1964), British television journalist
K Kareem Foster (born 2000), Caymanian footballer Karith Foster (born 1974), American comedian Kathi Foster (born 1947), American politician Kathryn Foster, American soap opera director Katrina Foster (born 1968), American Lutheran bishop Keith Foster (born 1948), Jamaican singer Kenny Foster (born 1985), American mixed martial artist Kent Foster (born 1938), British military officer Kitty Foster (1790–1863), American freed slave Kmele Foster (born 1980), American entrepreneur Kris Foster (born 1974), American baseball player Krishna Foster (born 1970), American chemist Kurtis Foster (born 1981), Canadian ice hockey player
L Lafayette L. Foster (1851–1901), American academic administrator, politician, and journalist Lafayette S. Foster (1806–1880), American politician and judge Larry Foster (American football) (born 1976), American football player Larry Foster (baseball) (1937–2023), American baseball player Laura E. Foster (1871–1920), American illustrator and cartoonist Lawrence Foster (born 1941), American conductor Leland Foster (1910–??), American baseball player Leo Foster (born 1951), American baseball player Leon Foster (1913–1991), Barbadian cricketer Lewis Foster (born 1993), English rugby league footballer Lewis R. Foster (1898–1974), American screenwriter Lilibet Foster, American film director Lillian Foster (??–1963), Canadian journalist Linae Foster, American video game producer Lindsay Foster (??–2020), Australian judge Lisa Foster, Canadian actress