Foster (surname)
The surname Foster derives from the ancient title and office bestowed upon those overseeing the upkeep and administration of hunting territories belonging to either the monarch, or bishop. The title begins to be adopted as a surname, in the historical record, from the 12th and 13th century onwards.
Notable people named Foster
A
- Abby Kelley Foster, American abolitionist
- Abiel Foster, American religious leader and politician
- Adriance S. Foster, American botanist
- Al Foster, American jazz drummer
- Alan Dean Foster, American writer
- Amy Foster,, British actor
- Andrew Foster, one of several people
- Andrew Foster-Williams, British classical singer
- Arian Foster, American football player
- Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland politician
- Audrey Hylton-Foster, Baroness Hylton-Foster, British life peer
- Augustus Foster, British diplomat
B
- Barry Foster , British actor
- Barry Foster , American football player
- Ben Foster, several people
- Bill Foster, several people
- Blake Foster, American actor
- Bob Foster, one of several people
- Brad Foster , British boxer
- Brendan Foster, British runner
- Brenden Foster, founder of the Brenden Foster Food Drive
- Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Jamaican hurdler
C
- Carey Foster English chemist and physicist
- Carlton Foster, American businessman and politician
- Catherine Foster, English soprano
- Cecil Foster, Canadian writer
- Charles Foster, several people
- Christopher Foster, one of several people
- Clement le Neve Foster, British geologist
- Clyde Foster, American scientist and mathematician
D
- Daniel Foster, several people
- Dave Foster, American drummer
- David Foster, several people
- David Kirby Foster, Baptist minister and community leader from Missouri
- Dawn Foster, British journalist
- Defne Joy Foster, Turkish actress, presenter, VJ
- Denzil Foster, of record producers Foster & McElroy
- Derek Foster, one of several people
- DeShaun Foster, American football player
- Doctor Foster, nursery rhyme character
- Donald Foster, British politician
- Donald W. Foster, American Professor of English and a linguistic/literary sleuth
- Douglas A. Foster, Professor of Church History at Abilene Christian University
- Dudley Foster, British actor
- Dwight Foster, several people
E
- Edward Foster, several people
- Enid Foster, American sculptor
- Ephraim H. Foster, American politician
- Ezola B. Foster, American activist
F
- Fiona Foster, British television journalist
- Florence Foster, American soprano Florence Foster Jenkins
- Frank Foster, several people
- Fred Foster, American songwriter
G
- Gary Evans Foster, American World War I Medal of honor recipient
- George Foster, several people
- Gerald Claude Eugene Foster, Jamaican sportsman
- Gloria Foster, American actress
- Greg Foster, several people
- Gwendolyn Audrey Foster, American academic
H
- Hal Foster, comic strip creator
- Hal Foster, American art critic
- Hannah Webster Foster, American novelist
- Harry Hylton-Foster, British politician
- Harry Wickwire Foster, Canadian General in World War II
- Heather Foster, Jamaican-born American professional bodybuilder
- Henry Foster, several people
- Hunter Foster, American entertainer
I
- Ian Foster, grid computing pioneer
- Israel Moore Foster, American politician
- Ivan Foster, Northern Ireland Presbyterian minister and politician
J
- Jack Foster, several people
- James Foster, several people
- Jane Foster, several people
- Jeanne Robert Foster, American poet
- Jeff Foster, American basketball player
- Jessie Foster, Canadian prostitute
- Jim Foster, Arena Football League founder
- Jim Foster, LGBT and Democratic activist
- Jodie Foster, US actress
- John Foster, several people
- Jon Foster, American actor
- Jon Foster, American illustrator
- Josephine Foster, American musician
- Juliette Foster, British television journalist
K
- Kathy Foster, Australian basketball player
- Keith Foster, music producer
- Karen Foster, American model and actress
- Kimberly Foster, American actress
- Kurtis Foster, Canadian ice hockey player
L
- Lafayette S. Foster, American politician
- Lisa Foster, Canadian actress
- Luke Foster, English footballer
M
- Marcus Foster, American educator
- Mark Foster, several people
- Mary LeCron Foster, American anthropological linguist
- Maurice Foster
- Meg Foster, American actress
- Michael Foster, several people
- Murphy J. Foster, American politician
- Murphy J. Foster, Jr., American politician
- Murray Foster, Canadian musician
- Myles Birket Foster, English watercolourist
N
- Neal Foster, member of the Alaska House of Representatives
- Neil Foster, English cricketer
- Norman Foster, several people
P
- Paul H. Foster, American Marine and Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient
- Peter Foster, Australian con man
- Phil Foster, American actor
- Philip Foster, American businessman
- Pops Foster, American jazz musician
- Preston Foster, actor
R
- Radney Foster, American musician
- Ralph Foster, several people
- Randolph Sinks Foster, Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church
- Reginald Erskine Foster, English footballer and cricketer
- Father Reginald Foster, American Catholic priest
- Reuben Foster, American football player
- Richard Foster, several people
- Robert Fitzroy Foster, historian and author
- Robert Frederick Foster, author on rules of games
- Robert Sidney Foster, British Governor of Fiji
- Rod Foster, American basketball player
- Ron Foster, several people
- Roy Foster, several people
- Rube Foster, pioneer of Negro League baseball
- Rusty Foster, Kuro5hin founder
S
- Sara Michael Foster, American actress
- Scott Michael Foster, American actor
- Shan Foster, American college basketball player
- Stephen Foster
- Steve Foster
- Susanna Foster, American movie actress
- Sutton Foster, American entertainer
- Sydney F. Foster, New York judge
T
- Theodore Foster, U.S. politician
- Thomas Foster, English cricketer
- Tim Foster, American soccer player
- Tim Foster, British rower
V
- Vince Foster, attorney for Bill Clinton
W
- Walter Edward Foster, Canadian politician
- Wilder D. Foster, U.S. Representative from Michigan
- Will Foster, British musician
- William A. Foster, American Marine and World War II Medal of Honor recipient
- William Z. Foster, American activist
Fictional characters
- Rita Foster, character in the film Cypher
- Robert Foster, protagonist character in the adventure game Beneath a Steel Sky
- Michael Foster, the main antagonist in the film The Call
- Hayley Foster, a main character in Power Rangers Ninja Steel