The name Arker reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Arker family as they migrated following the
Norman Conquest in 1066. Arker is a name for a
bowman, and derives from the French
L'Archer of the same meaning.
Early Origins of the Arker family
The surname Arker was first found in
Warwickshire, where "Fulbert L'Archer, the patriarch of the Lords Archer of Umberslade, in the county of Warwick, appears among the warriors at Hastings, who received recompense from the victor. His son, Robert L'Archer, obtained additions to his territorial possessions by grant from Henry I., whose tutor he had been, and still further increased his patrimony by marrying Sebit, daughter of Henry of Villiers, and thus acquiring the lands of Umberslade."
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print. Robert Larchier was listed in the
Pipe Rolls of
Hampshire and
Warwickshire in 1166. Hugh le Archer was listed in the Feet of Fines of
Cheshire in 1199.
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X) Odo le Archer was listed in
Devon during the reign of Henry III and John le Archer was listed in
Yorkshire in the reign of
Edward I. The
Hundredorum Rolls of 1237 list Thomas le Archer in
Derbyshire.
[3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Early History of the Arker family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Arker research.
Another 547 words (39 lines of text) covering the years 1166, 1210, 1214, 1273, 1350, 1296, 1856, 1861, 1598, 1682, 1581, 1662, 1640, 1619, 1685, 1659 and 1660 are included under the topic Early Arker History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Arker Spelling Variations
Multitudes of
spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the
Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Archer, Archar, Arsher, Arsher, Arshire, Archere and many more.
Early Notables of the Arker family (pre 1700)
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was
Baron Archer of Umberslade; John Archer (1598-1682), an English judge from Essex; Sir Simon Archer (1581-1662), an English antiquary and politician who sat...
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Arker Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Arker family to Ireland
Some of the Arker family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 105 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Arker family to the New World and Oceana
Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for
Ireland, North America, and
Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in
England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Arker or a variant listed above: Samuel Archer who settled in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1630; just ten years after the "Mayflower." He was appointed Marshall in 1650. Henry Archer was another settler in Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1639.
The Arker Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Sola bona quae honesta
Motto Translation: Those things only are good which are honest.