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FowlerSurname Origin: This name is of ancient Anglo-Norman origin, and comes from the Anglo-Saxon word "Fugal", meaning fowl. It seems that the early bearers of this name not only "pursued the captured wild fowl", but also sold them , for in its early form the French suffix,"ere", following "fowl", meant an agent or dealer.
19th century distribution of the Fowler surname Our Fowlers can be traced back to Taunton in Somerset and the birth of Benjamin Fowler, son of James, in 1803. Ben was a flax dresser and ostler before becoming a foundry fireman at Edward Whightmans Foundary in Chard. He was to work in the foundary until his 70's. Ben married Hannah Lickey of Cothelstone in 1826 and they had 7 children. Ben outlived Hannah and married again to Mary Pearce in 1867. Ben and Hannah's oldest surviving son was James who was born in Taunton in 1837. James followed his father into the foundry. James married Emma Gooding in 1859 and had two girls before Emma's death. In 1863 James was married a second time to Rebecca Warry. James and Rebecca had five children, their youngest son also being named James Fowler. By this time the family had moved to Bedford, probably in search of work, it was here that James was born. After a brief spell there they all moved to Nottingham and settled in Sneinton. James married local girl Eliza Peck in October 1891 and they had 7 children.
The Fowler family 1944 Left
to right -Percy Peck's wife, Harold Clarke, Pat Samples (front), June
Drury, Harold Samples, Elisa Clarke (nee Peck, formerly Fowler - front) James was a bridge painter and gas fitter and died leaving his wife Elisa with a young family to raise. Elisa remarried to Harold Clarke and they brought up their family in Manvers Street Sneinton. May Fowler, their youngsest daughter married Bill Drury. Clara married Harold Samples and Jack (John Edward) married Annie and lived in Hutton Street, being bombed out of their home in 1942, they eventually settled in Colwick. Bertie Fowler joined up during the First World War and was killed at Ypres in Belgium in 1917. At the moment we have no further information about Harry, Lilly or Horace, the other siblings.
Current Research : Trying to discover more about James Fowler (b.1870). Have been unable to trace a record of either his birth or death to date. Click here for full details of our Fowler ancestry Return
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