Fowler History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Fowler is a name that was formed by the Anglo-Saxon society of old Britain. The name was thought to have been used for someone who once worked as a person who worked as the fowler or the bird-catcher having derived from the Old English word “fugelere” which literally means “hunter of wild birds, fowler” [1]

Early Origins of the Fowler family

The surname Fowler was first found in Lincolnshire where Richard Fugelere was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1218. A few years later, Roger le Fugler was found in Norfolk in 1227. [1]In Wiltshire, one of the first records of the name was John the Foeglere who was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. A few years later William le Foggheler and Henry le Fogheler were both listed in Somerset during the reign of King Edward III. [2]

By the time of the Yorkshire Poll Tax in 1379, Ricardus Foghler and Rogerus Foghler were both listed in Yorkshire. [2] Fawler is a hamlet and civil parish in the valley of the River Evenlode in Oxfordshire. It dates back to 1205 when it was first listed as Fauflor and probably meant “variegated floor” as in “tessellated pavement” from the Old English words fag + flor. [3]

Early History of the Fowler family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fowler research.

Fowler Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person’s name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Fowler include Fowler, Fouler, Fowlers, Fouler, Fowlar, Folar, Fouller, Fowlare, Foweller, Fowaller, Foulier, Foullar, Foular and many more.

Early Notables of the Fowler family

Distinguished members of the family include

• John Fowler (1537-1579), English Catholic printer and scholar, born at Bristol in 1537
• Abraham Fowler (fl. 1577), an English poet, a Queen’s scholar at Westminster
• Christopher Fowler (1610?-1678), an English ejected minister by the Uniformity Act of 1662
• Thomas Fowler, (died 1590), English lawyer, diplomat, courtier, spy, servant of the Countess of Lennox, broker of the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots and Lord Darnley
• William Fowler (c.1560-1612) was a Scottish poet, writer, courtier, and translator
• Edward Fowler (1632-1714), English clergyman, Bishop of Gloucester (1691-1714)

Fowler World Ranking

In the United States, the name Fowler is the 250^th most popular surname with an estimated 104,454 people with that name. [4] However, in Canada, the name Fowler is ranked the 516^thmost popular surname with an estimated 9,455 people with that name. [5] And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Fowler is the 207^th popular surname with an estimated 203 people with that name. [6] Australia ranks Fowler as 295^th with 12,001 people. [7] New Zealand ranks Fowler as 261^st with 2,337 people. [8] The United Kingdom ranks Fowler as 273^rd with 22,107 people. [9]

 Migration of the Fowler family to Ireland

Some of the Fowler family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.

 Fowler migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Fowler were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: 

Fowler Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Margrett Fowler, (b. 1591), aged 30 who landed in Virginia in 1621 aboard the ship “Abigaile” [10]
• William Fowler, (b. 1591), aged 30 who landed in Virginia in 1621 aboard the ship “Abigaile” [10]
• John Fowler, who arrived in Virginia in 1622 [10]
• Widow Fowler, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 [10]
• Samuel Fowler, who arrived in New England in 1634 aboard the ship “Mary & John”, bound for Ipswich [10]

Fowler Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Rachel] Fowler, who landed in Virginia in 1701 [10]
• Toby Fowler, who landed in Virginia in 1703 [10]
• Jane Fowler, who landed in Virginia in 1703 [10]
• James Fowler, who landed in Virginia in 1709 [10]
• Bartho Fowler, who landed in Virginia in 1711 [10]

Fowler Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Roth Fowler, who arrived in America in 1805 [10]
• Ignatius Fowler, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1813 [10]
• Mr. Fowler, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1821 [10]
• A Fowler, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 [10]
• B C Fowler, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 [10]

 Fowler migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were: 

Fowler Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• Eliza Fowler, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
• Thomas Fowler, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
• Mr. Henry Fowler U.E. (b. 1756) who settled in Kings County, New Brunswick c. 1783 was a passenger aboard “Cyrus” on August 21s, 1783 from New York, to Saint John River, he died in 1843 [11]
• Mr. John Fowler U.E. born in Massachusetts, USA who settled in New Brunswick c. 1783 listed as a passenger on the Union Transport from New York [11]
• John Fowler, who arrived in New Brunswick in 1783

Fowler Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Joanna Fowler, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1831
• Orchard J Fowler, who arrived in Canada in 1831
• John Fowler, aged 26, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig “Maria” from Cork, Ireland
• Jane Fowler, aged 26, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig “Maria” from Cork, Ireland
• James Fowler, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship “Daniel O’Connell” in 1834

 Fowler migration to Australia+

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: 

Fowler Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• George Fowler, English convict from Hertfordshire, who was transported aboard the “Ann” on August 1809, settling in New South Wales, Australia [12]
• Mr. William Fowler, English convict who was convicted in Bristol, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Eliza” on 22nd September 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [13]
• Mr. William Fowler, English convict who was convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire, Englandfor life, transported aboard the “Eliza” on 22nd September 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [13]
• Mr. Thomas Fowler, English baker who was convicted in Kent, England for 14 years for passing forged notes, transported aboard the “Dick” on 2nd October 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [14]
• Mr. George Fowler, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 14 years, transported aboard the “Dunvegan Castle” on 13th March 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [15]

 Fowler migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: 

Fowler Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• J. Fowler, Australian settler travelling from Hobart, Tasmania, Australia aboard the ship “Bee” arriving in New Zealand in 1831 [16]
• John Fowler, who landed in Bay of Islands, New Zealand in 1840
• John Fowler, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
• John Fowler, aged 30, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Duke of Roxburgh” in 1840 [17]
• Priscilla Fowler, aged 8, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Duke of Roxburgh” in 1840 [17]

 Fowler migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960’s many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [18]

Fowler Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

• Mr. John Fowler, aged 24, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship “Hopewell” arriving in Barbados on 17th February 1634 [10]

Contemporary Notables of the name Fowler (post 1700) +

• Clyde Bernard Fowler (1924-2021), American politician from Maryland, Calvert County Commissioner from 1970 to 1982, and served in the Maryland Senate between 1983 and 1994, best known for his advocacy for the cleanup of the Patuxent River
• Bud Fowler (1858-1913), born John W. Jackson, an American baseball player, manager, and club organizer, the earliest known African-American player in organized professional baseball, inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021
• Donald L. Fowler (1935-2020), American political scientist, professor, and politician, National Chair of the Democratic National Committee from 1995 to 1997
• James W. Fowler III (1940-2015), American theologian, Professor of Theology and Human Development at Emory University
• Brigadier-General Raymond Foster Fowler (1884-1949), American Division Engineer, South Atlantic Division (1943-1946) [19]
• Thomas Weldon Fowler (1921-1944), United States Army officer, and a recipient of the Medal of Honor
• Jim Fowler (b. 1930), American professional zoologist and former host of the Emmy Award-winning television show Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom
• Joseph S. Fowler (1820-1902), American national politician
• Henry Hammill Fowler (1908-2000), American lawyer and politician
• William Alfred Fowler (1911-1995), American astrophysicist awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize in Physics

The Fowler 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: Sapiens qui vigilat
Motto Translation: He is wise who watches