Harrier Family History
Harrier Name Meaning
English: nickname or occupational name from Middle English and Old French erier hairer ‘small hunting dog harrier’ a breed of small foxhounds (similar to beagles) used in hunting hares of which the earliest surviving record is in the 15th century. The word may also have been used for a man who hunted hares. Scottish: apparently from Older Scots herrier heriar ‘one who harries ravages or lays waste a plunderer (such as a reiver)’ but this may be folk etymology. The name has not been found before the 19th century and is probably a re-interpretation of Harrower .
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022
