Archer Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Archer last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Archer coat of arms for you.
Meaning and origin of the Archer last name
Meaning of the Archer last name: bowman. Archer is an English surname for a bowman, from Norman French archer, from Latin arcus, "bow". It could mean a soldier armed with a bow or a man who made bows. The last name is found widely in England, especially in the south and Midlands, and also in Scotland. A curious detail of this family name meaning: medieval laws once required ordinary men to practise archery on Sundays.
Arms associated with the Archer name
In England younger sons added small heraldic marks to their father's coat of arms, so relatives named Archer could each carry a slightly different shield.
Get your full Archer family history
This is only a glimpse of the Archer story. The full Archer 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 Archer coat of arms. Get the full Archer report.
Archer name FAQ
What does the Archer name mean?
Bowman. Common variants include Archar, Larcher, Archier.
Where does the Archer surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Scotland.
Is there a Archer coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Archer coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).