Futter

Recorded as Futcher, Fulker, Folger, Futter or Futer, this interesting surname is of early medieval English origin. It is derived from a Germanic personal name "Fulkhari" composed of the elements "folk", meaning people and "hari, an army. The name was apparently introduced into England by the Normans after the Conquest of 1066. Isolated examples of the name may derived from the Old English pre 7th Century "Folchere", or the Old Norse "Folkar", of uncertain origin, but these names were far less common. The personal name was first recorded as "Fulcher" in the Domesday Book of 1086. The surname development since 1167 (see below) includes the following: Peter Fulker (1212, Wiltshire), Eustace Folchir (1212, Hampshire), Nicholas Fuker (1234, Devonshire) and Warin Fucher (1235, Essex). It is said to be mainly found in East Anglia, although as Futter it is well recorded in London area. Amongst the early church recordings are the christening of Richard, son of Matthew Fulcher, on February 18th 1566 at St. Peter's, Forncett, Norfolk, the marriage of Edward Folcher and Cicely Thorp on September 13th 1612 at All Saints, Norwich, and the marriage of Martha Futter and William Ryley, at St Benets, Pauls Wharf, in the city of London, on September 4th 1623. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Roger Fulchier. This was dated 1167, in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire, during the reign of King Henry 11, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.