Fletcher surname meaning

Fletcher is an English occupational surname for an arrowsmith or for someone who made or sold arrows for bows. The word came through Middle English from Old French forms related to fleche, “arrow.” Flecher and Flechier preserve older language forms, while Flesher is a similar-looking surname with a different trade. Arrow making was a repeatable occupation, so the surname could arise independently in many towns and does not identify one military ancestor. Occupation is the high-confidence catalog type. A modern Fletcher can inherit the craft label without any family connection to archery.