Horsier History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancient name of Horsier finds its origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from a name for a person who makes or sells stockings and socks. The surname Horsier is derived from the Old English word hosa, which means hose. 1 This passage may be interesting to the reader: "The hosier of modern times sells stockings and other soft 'under clothing.' Two hundred years ago, [1600's] the hosiers of London were those tailors who sold ready-made clothes; but the original hosier was he who encased the 'nether man' in leather, covered both the foot and leg, and was called a hose. " 2

Early Origins of the Horsier family

The surname Horsier was first found in Oxfordshire, where William Husier was registered in Oseney in 1180. Years later, Clerkenwell records in London revealed John le Husier living there 1182-1187 and later, Nicholas, You le hosier was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Yorkshire in 1197. The Curia Regis in Sussex show Alexander le Hoser there in 1200. 3

The Writs of Parliament mention Philip le Hosier, c. 1300 and later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls include Thomas Hosyer as holding land there at that time. 1

Early History of the Horsier family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Horsier research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1182, 1506, 1545, 1571, 1579, 1642, 1650, 1673, 1720, 1721, 1722, 1725 and 1727 are included under the topic Early Horsier History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Horsier Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Horsier family name include Hosier, Hozier and others.

Early Notables of the Horsier family

Distinguished members of the family include Edward Hosier (c.1506-1571), an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Shrewsbury in 1545; John Hosier, commander of the Magdalen a merchant ship in the service of the parliament in 1642-1650; and Vice-Admiral Francis Hosier (1673-1727) of Deptford. He was born at Deptford, and baptised at St. Nicholas Church there 15 April 1673, was son of Francis Hosier, clerk of the cheque at Gravesend and agent victualler at Dover. He was possibly related to John Hosier, who commanded the Magdalen merchant ship in the parliament's service 1642-1650 . " In 1720 and again in 1721...
Another 246 words (18 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Horsier Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Horsier family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Horsier surname or a spelling variation of the name include : ??? Hosier who sailed to Virginia in 1623; Samuel Hosier to Salem, Massachusetts in 1630; Thomas Hosier to Maryland in 1718; Ann Hosier to Virginia in 1732.

Citations +

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.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)