Falker

The surname Falker is of English origin, with its earliest known records dating back to the late 13th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English word "falcor," meaning "falcon keeper" or "falconer." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname were individuals employed in the profession of caring for and training falcons, which were highly prized birds used for hunting by the nobility and aristocracy.

Records from the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire, compiled in 1273, mention a certain John le Fauconer, whose name is likely an earlier spelling variation of Falker. The Falker surname is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where it appears as "Faukener."

In the 14th century, the Falker surname appears to have been concentrated primarily in the counties of Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire, with some instances also recorded in the neighboring counties of Oxfordshire and Berkshire. This distribution suggests that the name may have originated in the West Midlands region of England.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Falker was William Falker, who was born in Worcestershire around 1380. He is mentioned in the court records of the Manor of Bishampton in 1412 as a tenant farmer.

Another notable bearer of the Falker name was John Falker, born in Gloucestershire in 1518. He was a skilled falconer in the service of Sir Thomas Seymour, the Lord Privy Seal and brother of Jane Seymour, the third wife of King Henry VIII.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Falker surname began to spread more widely across England, with records showing families bearing this name in counties such as Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Northamptonshire. One prominent individual was Richard Falker, born in Oxfordshire in 1612, who served as a captain in the Parliamentarian forces during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, a notable figure was William Falker (1715-1792), a successful merchant and landowner from Buckinghamshire. His son, also named William Falker (1745-1823), was a respected scholar and author who wrote several treatises on falconry and the care of birds of prey.

Another significant bearer of the Falker name was Elizabeth Falker (1804-1881), born in Northamptonshire. She was a pioneering educator and founded one of the first girls' boarding schools in the county, which remained operational until the late 19th century.