Dave's family tree

The recording of names in Ireland during the Middle Ages was an inconsistent endeavor at best. Since the general population did not know how to read or write, they could only specify how their names should be recorded orally. Research into the name Forehand revealed spelling variations, including Foran, Forhane, Forahan, Forhan, Foreham and many more.

First found in Connacht, where they were firstly known as Macgiollarnath or Mac Gilla na Naomh, meaning 'son of the devotee of the saints', which, through mistranslation and time emerged as an off-shoot of the main clan through a chieftain O'Fuarthain or O'Fuarain, which, in English, became Forehand.

Death and immigration greatly reduced Ireland's population in the 19th century. For the native Irish people poverty, hunger, and racial prejudice was common. Therefore, thousands left their homeland to seek opportunity in North America. Those who survived the journey and the quarantine camps to which they arrived, were instrumental towards building the strong developing nations of the United States and the future Canada. By far, the largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. These were employed as construction or factory workers. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has shown early immigrants bearing the name Forehand: Jno Forehead, who came to Virginia in 1653; Gillian Forehand, who arrived in Maryland in 1671; John Foran who settled in New York State in 1804;Patrick Forehan was a merchant in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1770.

(Research):http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/f/o/r/Ron-Forehand-GA/

http://genforum.genealogy.com/forehand/messages/351.html