Fleager History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The distinguished Fleager family finds its origin with the proud Norman people. Although the Normans came from France, they were actually of Viking origin. The Vikings landed in the Orkneys and northern Scotland under their king, Stirgud the Stout, around 870. Subsequently, led by their jarl, Thorfinn Rollo, they invaded France around 911. After Rollo laid siege to Paris, King Charles the Simple of France finally conceded defeat and granted northern France to Rollo, who became the first Duke of Normandy.

The Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists Robert Flechier in Normady in 1198, so not all of the family emigrated to England with the Conquest. 1

Fleager is of the common type of surnames known as the occupational name. Such a surname would have been taken from the primary vocation of an ancestor of the bearer; in this case, one who makes arrows. 2 3

Early Origins of the Fleager family

The surname Fleager was first found in at the Forest of Hutton in Yorkshire. They were originally descended from Jean de La Fleche, a Norman noble, who was granted lands by King William. His descendant, Sir Bernard Fletcher moved north and was granted lands in Roxburghshire by King David of Scotland.

They later moved further north to Aberdeen, and became one of the first settlers in Glenorchy, and entered into a bond with the Stewarts. Although the Campbells dominated the Glenorchy region, the two clans enjoyed a relatively friendly relationship. The family also had a good relationship with the Stewarts of Apin for whom they helped recover cattle stolen by the MacDonalds.

Not all of the family moved to Scotland, as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 attest: Ralph le Fleccher and Nicholas le Flecher were listed in Lincolnshire; and Adam le Flecher and Henry le Fletcher were listed in Northamptonshire a that time. Later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Robertus Fleger as residing there and holding lands. 2

Early History of the Fleager family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fleager research. Another 217 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1338, 1340, 1374, 1461, 1489, 1548, 1579, 1585, 1611, 1613, 1619, 1623, 1625, 1633, 1655, 1661, 1666, 1679, 1689, 1690, 1691, 1700, 1712, 1713, 1716, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Fleager History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fleager Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Fletcher, Flescher, Flegiar, Fletcheour, Fleshar, Fleggeour, Fleshour, Flager, Fledger, Fleschor, Flechyr, Flessor, Flesser, Flesher, Fleager, Flegger and many more.

Early Notables of the Fleager family

Notable among the family at this time was Sir Bernard Fletcher from Yorkshire who was the progenitor of the families of Salton and Inverpeffer branches; Giles Fletcher, the elder (c. 1548-1611), an English writer and diplomat, member of the English Parliament and was later the treasurer of St. Paul's; his son, Giles Fletcher, the younger (c. 1585-1623) was a poet in his own right; John Fletcher (1579-1625), a Jacobean playwright, he followed William Shakespeare as house playwright for the King's Men; Christian Fletcher, Lady Abercrombie, (1619-1691) a...
Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fleager Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fleager family to Ireland

Some of the Fleager family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 93 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fleager migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Fleager Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mary and Katrena Fleager, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1731
Katrena Fleager, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1731 4
Mary Fleager, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1731 4
Frederick Fleager, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 4

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)