Archer Family History

English and French: from Middle English archere Anglo-Norman French archer Old French archier ‘bowman’ hence an occupational name for an archer. This Norman French word partially replaced the native English word bowman in the 14th century. In North America this surname may have absorbed some cases of European cognates such as French Archier. Compare Larcher.

German: from an agent derivative of Old High German archa ‘mill-race’ (from Latin arca ‘chest box’). This surname is rare in Germany.

Germanized form of Slovenian Arhar: German-influenced patronymic from the personal name Arh (see Arch) an old vernacular equivalent of Henry.

Alternatively perhaps a topographic name derived from Old High German archa ‘mill-race’ (see 2 above) hence a cognate of Slovenian Rakar (see Raker).