| ![Show Contents]() Herrower History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of HerrowerWhat does the name Herrower mean? The Anglo-Saxon name Herrower comes from when its first bearer worked as a harrower, a person who worked in the fields and was originally derived from the Old English harwen, which meant "to harrow." 1 Harrowing a field is the process of breaking up the earth after plowing so that seeding may take place. In the Middle Ages, this was done with a wooden frame studded with spikes and disks dragged over the field by a team of oxen. Early Origins of the Herrower familyThe surname Herrower was first found in Essex where Geoffrey Haruer was recorded in 1255. From this earliest entry, we move to the Hundredorum Rolls of 1275, where Geoffrey le Harewere was listed in Norfolk. Later, Ralph le Harewere was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327, and John Harower was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 2 Much further to the north in Scotland, Harrower was "a surname common to Fife and district. 'The first of this name is described as a Flemish gunner; it may be a form of Harmwijn.' William Harower or Herwart had a charter of the office of keeper of the king's muirc and cunningare in Crail in liferent in the reign of David II. Robert Harwar was burgess of Perth, 1440, and 'Sir' John Harwar who was vicar of Cortochquhay in 1452 may be the John Harwar, chaplain, mentioned in 1455." 3 Early History of the Herrower familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Herrower research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1379, 1464, 1465, 1506, 1512, 1519, 1524, 1535, 1536, 1561, 1603, 1698 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Herrower History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Herrower Spelling VariationsUntil quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Herrower include Harrower, Harower, Harewere and others. Early Notables of the Herrower familyMore information is included under the topic Early Herrower Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Herrower familySearching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Herrower or a variant listed above: John Harrower, who sailed to Virginia in 1774.
- 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)
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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