Archey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Archey is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is a name for a bowman, and derives from the French L’Archer of the same meaning.

Early Origins of the Archey family

The surname Archey was first found in Warwickshire, where “Fulbert L’Archer, the patriarch of the Lords Archer of Umberslade, in the county of Warwick, appears among the warriors at Hastings, who received recompense from the victor. His son, Robert L’Archer, obtained additions to his territorial possessions by grant from Henry I., whose tutor he had been, and still further increased his patrimony by marrying Sebit, daughter of Henry of Villiers, and thus acquiring the lands of Umberslade.” 1

However, another noted source claims Hampshire was the founding place for the family. “Willelmus Arcarius” held a barony in the hundred of Sunburne, in Hampshire. 2 This family took its name from the office it held under the Dukes of Normandy before the Conquest. Its derivation is rather uncertain, but a family of L’Archer, still flourishing in Brittany, bears the same three arrows that were borne by the English Archers, differenced in tincture. The latter claim as their ancestor Fulbert l’Archer, the father of Robert, to whom the Conqueror entrusted the charge of his son, afterwards Henry I. ” 3

Robert Larchier was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire and Warwickshire in 1166. Hugh le Archer was listed in the Feet of Fines of Cheshire in 1199. 4

Odo le Archer was listed in Devon during the reign of Henry III and John le Archer was listed in Yorkshire in the reign of Edward I. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1237 list Thomas le Archer in Derbyshire. 5

The L’Archer family from Tanworth in Arden in Warwickshire held Umberslade Hall outside Tamworth in England for over 600 years. Of note was John L’Archers, Larger or L’Archer (died 1349) who was an English-born cleric and judge who was Lord Chancellor of Ireland and Deputy Justiciar. He was nephew of Thomas L’Archer (died 1329), the English monk who held the office of English Prior of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, also born in Tanworth.

Some of the family were found to the far south in the parish of St. Ewe in Cornwall. “There was formerly a manor called Trelewick, but this has many years since been totally dismembered. The barton house was for some time the seat of John Archer, Esq. who died in 1733, to which family the estate belonged. Soon after this gentleman’s death the house fell to decay, and remained for many years without an inhabitant. About twenty three years since the fee of Trelewick was sold by Addis Archer, Esq. to the late Mr. John Harris, by whom the dilapidated mansion was taken down, and a genteel farm house erected in its stead.” 6

“There are two gentlemen’s seats in the parish of [Lewannick, Cornwall], both of which are ancient; Trewanta Hall, the residence of William Hocken, Esq. and Treliske or Trelaske, the property and abode of Samuel Archer, Esq.” 6