The Fowler Family History

What Does the Fowler Surname Mean? Historical Origins Explained

The English surname Fowler originates from the profession of a bird-catcher, a vocation prevalent during the medieval era. The term in Middle English was rendered as fogelere or foulere, while its Old English antecedent was fugelere, which derives from the word fugol, signifying ‘bird’. In the United States, the surname Fowler is predominantly found in states such as New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Texas, California, Kentucky, and Georgia. Within England, the highest concentrations of Fowler families are situated in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. During the 1880s, many families bearing the Fowler surname were engaged in agriculture. Noteworthy individuals with this surname include Edward Fowler, a 17th-century English churchman who served as Bishop of Gloucester; Thomas Fowler, a 19th-century English inventor; Henry the Fowler, who was Duke of Saxony and King of the Germans from 861 to 936 AD; Edmund John Fowler, an Irish soldier and Victoria Cross recipient; Robert George Fowler, an aviation pioneer; Charlie Fowler, an American mountaineer, writer, and photographer; Jesse Fowler, a professional baseball player; Calvin Fowler, an Olympic basketball athlete; and Jim Fowler, a renowned zoologist and television personality.