Did you know?
Fletcher is one of a number of English words that once commonly referred to occupations but are now better known as surnames. "Fletcher" came to English from the Anglo-French noun fleche, meaning "arrow; our verb "to fletch" can mean "to furnish (an arrow) with a feather." Other names for occupations that are now commonly used as surnames include "cooper" (a person who makes or repairs wooden casks or tubs), "collier" (a coal miner), "chandler" (a person who make candles), "sawyer" (a person who saws wood), and "wainwright" (a person who makes wagons). And, of course, there are names such as Baker, Carpenter, and Miller whose origins are more or less self-explanatory.
Cite this Entry
“Fletcher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Fletcher. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy Citation
