BLOWER
Blower is a surname of English origin, deriving from an occupational name used in the Middle Ages.
The word is derived from the Middle English term blowere, which in turn originated from the Old English blawere, itself a derivative of the verb blawan, meaning “to blow.” This linguistic lineage places the roots of the surname firmly within the early medieval period of England.
The occupational designation originally applied to individuals who blew or played a wind instrument such as a horn or trumpet. Over time the surname also came to denote those who operated bellows – either as a blacksmith's assistant or to supply wind for a church organ – and occasionally to describe glass blowers or a huntsman who blew a signalling horn.
The earliest known record of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Surrey dated 1199, where a William le Blowerre is mentioned during the reign of King Richard I, known as “The Lionheart.” Subsequent early references include Lucia Blowere recorded in the Assize Rolls of Kent and Reginald le Blawere noted in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Essex.
Later mentions are found in London Church Registers: the christening of Edward Blowers, son of James and Martha Blowers, on 1 September 1661 at St. Dunstan’s, Stepney, and the marriage of Obadiah Blowers to Ann Lavson on 12 May 1667 at St. James’, Duke’s Place.
The surname has appeared in a number of spelling variations over the centuries. These include Blow, Blowers, Bloor, Blowar, Blowe, Blouer, and Bloer. Regional dialects have produced further forms such as Blouwer and Blover. In East Anglia the patronymic form Blowers is predominantly found.
A coat of arms has been granted to families bearing the name, depicting a gold shield across which is displayed a red eagle with two heads. This heraldic symbol is itself a distinctive element associated with the surname.
Although not among the most common surnames, Blower remains most frequently encountered in its country of origin, England, and is also present in other English‑speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia, where migration patterns have dispersed the name globally. The surname’s occupational origins do not guarantee a shared ancestor for all bearers, as the same occupational name may have arisen independently in multiple families.
Typical given names associated with the Blower surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Julia
- Julie
- Karen
- Linda
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Blower in...
Braille
⠃⠇⠕⠺⠑⠗
Morse
-....-..---.--..-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 3,896 people named Blower in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,396th most common surname in Britain. Around 60 in a million people in Britain are named Blower.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Blower
- Maria Blower - Bicycle racer
- Christine Blower, Baroness Blower - Trade unionist
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.