Fletcher (surname)

Fletcher is an Anglo-Norman surname of French, English, Scottish and Irish origin. The name is a regional (La Flèche) and an occupational name for an arrowsmith (a maker and or seller of arrows), derived from the Old French flecher (in turn from Old French fleche "arrow"). The English word was borrowed into the Goidelic languages, leading to the development of the Scottish name "Mac an Fhleisteir" (also spelt "Mac an Fhleisdeir"), "the arrowsmith's son."

Fletcher was not necessarily the surname of a fletcher or arrowsmith. The progenitor of the family was Jean de la Flèche, a Norman noble from La Flèche, where he became its first seigneur (lord) and held its original castle. He married Paula of Maine, daughter of the Count of Maine. They were the parents of Elias I, Count of Maine and great grandparents of King Henry II. Jean de la Flèche was given land in England for services by William the Conqueror and some of his decedents and family settled in Yorkshire, England following the Norman Conquest. Not all of the family emigrated to England following the Conquest, as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists one Robert Flechier in Normandy in the year 1198.

There is a record of a Robert le Flecher in 1203 (in the "Assize Court Rolls of Staffordshire", during the reign of King John), William Flecher’ also in 1203 and Peter le Flechier in 1227. The name is often confused with Flesher because of the phonetic similarity.

Today, the Fletcher surname along with various spelling variations can be found in many countries including the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and many other countries formally associated with the British Empire due to immigration, colonisation or slavery, particularly in America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Africa.

People

 * Aaron Fletcher (born 1996), American baseball player
 * Adam Fletcher (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Alan Fletcher (graphic designer) (1931–2006), British graphic designer
 * Alan Fletcher (actor) (born 1957), Australian actor
 * Anashuya Fletcher (born 1984), New Zealand Anglican bishop
 * Andrew Almon Fletcher, known as Almon Fletcher (1889–1964), Canadian physician and diabetologist
 * Andrew Fletcher (politician) (1653–1716), politician and Scottish patriot
 * Andrew Fletcher (musician) (1961–2022), member of the British electronic-music group Depeche Mode
 * Andre Fletcher (born 1987) Grenadian and West Indies cricket player
 * Art Fletcher (1885–1950), American baseball player
 * Arthur Fletcher (1924–2005), American government official
 * Arthur Fletcher (rugby league), English rugby league player
 * Ashley Michael Fletcher (born 1995) English professional footballer
 * Banister Fletcher (Senior) (1833–1899), English architect, historian and member of Parliament
 * Sir Banister Fletcher (1866–1953), English architect and historian
 * Barry Fletcher (born 1935), English cricketer
 * Betty Fletcher (1923–2012), American federal judge
 * Blandford Fletcher (1858–1936), British painter
 * Bob Fletcher (1911–2013), California farmer who helped Japanese neighbors during World War II
 * Bryan Fletcher (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Cari Fletcher (born 1994), American singer and songwriter
 * Carl Fletcher (Canadian soccer), footballer born 1971
 * Carl Fletcher (Welsh footballer), footballer born 1980
 * Carrie Hope Fletcher, Westend actress, singer, author, blogger, vlogger
 * Charles Fletcher, multiple people
 * Chris Fletcher (born 1948), American football player (San Diego Chargers)
 * Christian Fletcher (c. 1619–1691), Scottish minister's wife who helped save the Honours of Scotland
 * Christopher Fletcher (born 1957), English cricket player (Sussex)
 * Christopher D. M. Fletcher (born 1958), British pathologist
 * Christy Fletcher (born 1933), Irish football player
 * Colin Fletcher (1922–2007), Welsh-American backpacker and author
 * Coyne Fletcher (c1853–1904), Irish-American novelist, playwright
 * C.T. Fletcher (born 1959), American powerlifter, actor, video blogger
 * Cyril Fletcher (1913–2005), English comedian, actor and businessman
 * Darren Fletcher (born 1984), Scottish footballer
 * Darrin Fletcher (born 1966), American baseball player
 * David Fletcher (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Duncan Fletcher (born 1948), Zimbabwean cricketer and coach of the England and India cricket teams
 * Dustin Fletcher (born 1975), Australian football player
 * Edward Fletcher (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Elias I, Count of Maine (died 11 July 1110), Count of Maine and great grandfather of Henry II of England
 * Eric Fletcher (1903–1990), English politician and peer
 * Ernie Fletcher (born 1952), governor of Kentucky
 * Fletcher Christian (1764–1793), master's mate on HMS Bounty during William Bligh's voyage to Tahiti
 * Frank Friday Fletcher (1855–1928), admiral in the United States Navy
 * Frank Jack Fletcher (1885–1973), admiral in the United States Navy
 * Freddie Fletcher (born 1950), English actor
 * George Fletcher (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Georgina Fletcher 20th Century women's rights activist active in Colombia
 * Giles Fletcher, the Elder (c. 1548–1611), English poet and diplomat
 * Giles Fletcher (c. 1586–1623), English playwright
 * Guy Fletcher (born 1960), English keyboard player from the band Dire Straits
 * Guy Fletcher (songwriter), English songwriter and session singer
 * Harvey Fletcher (1884–1981), American physicist and inventor
 * Henry Fletcher (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Horace Fletcher (1849–1919), American health-food faddist of the Victorian era
 * Isaac Fletcher (1784–1842), American lawyer and politician
 * Isaac Fletcher (English politician) (1827–1879), English member of Parliament
 * J.S. Fletcher (1863–1935), English novelist and poet
 * James Fletcher (1852–1908), Canadian entomologist, botanist, and writer
 * James C. Fletcher (1919–1991), Former NASA administrator
 * Jan Fletcher, British entrepreneur
 * Jane Fletcher (1870–1956), Tasmanian author and poet
 * Jane Fletcher (writer) (born 1956), English author of lesbian fiction
 * Jason Fletcher (1975), American sports agent
 * Jean de la Flèche (c.1030 – c.1097), Fletcher progenitor and 11th-century French nobleman
 * Jo Fletcher, New Zealand professor of education
 * Joan Bamford Fletcher (1909–1979), Canadian member of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry
 * Joe Fletcher, former FIFA professional referee
 * John Fletcher (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Joseph Fletcher (1905–1991), professor
 * Justin Fletcher (born 1970), English children's television personality
 * Keith Fletcher (born 1944), English cricketer
 * Kelvin Fletcher (born 1984), British actor
 * Kimberly Fletcher, founder of Moms for America
 * Kirk Fletcher (born 1975), American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter
 * Lawrence Fletcher (died 1608), Jacobean actor
 * Lisa Anne Fletcher (1844–1905), American poet and correspondent
 * Lloyd Fletcher (1915–1991), United States Court of Federal Claims judge
 * Louise Fletcher (1934–2022), American actress
 * Lucy Nettie Fletcher (1886-1918), nurse
 * Mark Fletcher (disambiguation), several people
 * Mary Fletcher (philanthropist) (1830–1885), American philanthropist
 * Mary Fletcher (preacher) (1739–1815), English Methodist preacher
 * Michael Fletcher (born 1977), professional Canadian football linebacker
 * Michael Scott Fletcher (1868–1947), Australian Methodist minister
 * Moses Fletcher, (c. 1564–1620) Mayflower pilgrim
 * Najuma Fletcher (born 1974), Guyanese track and field athlete
 * Neil Fletcher (politician), (born 1944), British politician
 * Norman Fletcher (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Percy Fletcher (1879–1932), British composer
 * Peter Fletcher (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Phil Fletcher (born 1975/6), British puppeteer
 * Phineas Fletcher (1582–1650), English playwright
 * Ray Fletcher (1921–1991), British politician
 * Richard Fletcher (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Robert Fletcher (North Carolina politician) (1815-1885), American politician
 * Rod Fletcher (1945–2023), English footballer
 * Rod Fletcher (basketball), American college basketball player
 * Ronald Malcolm Fletcher (1899-1952), English World War I observer/gunner ace
 * Rosamund Fletcher (1908–1993), British sculptor
 * Rosey Fletcher (born 1975), American Olympic snowboarder
 * Sally Fletcher-Murchison (born 1933), American ceramicist
 * Samuel Fletcher (politician) (died 1950), Canadian politician
 * Sherry Fletcher (born 1986), Grenadian track and field sprinter
 * Simon Fletcher, multiple people
 * Steven Fletcher (footballer) (born 1987), Scottish international footballer
 * Tait Fletcher, American former professional MMA fighter
 * Thomas Fletcher (disambiguation), multiple people
 * William Fletcher (disambiguation), multiple people
 * William Bartlett Fletcher, Sr. (1862–1957), Rear admiral in the United States Navy
 * William Roby Fletcher South Australian Congregationalist minister and university administrator
 * Yvonne Fletcher (1959–1984), police officer killed by a gunshot from the Libyan embassy in London

Fictional characters

 * Irwin Maurice "Fletch" Fletcher, the main character in the novel Fletch and subsequent novels by Gregory McDonald
 * Jamie "Fletch" Fletcher, from the British soap opera Hollyoaks
 * Jerry Fletcher, the protagonist of Conspiracy Theory (film), portrayed by Mel Gibson
 * Fletch, one of the thugs working for the villain Ellis DeWald in the film Beverly Hills Cop III, portrayed by Michael Bowen
 * Fletcher, one of the main antagonists in the Tamil movie Dasavathaaram
 * Jessica Fletcher, the main character of the television series Murder, She Wrote
 * Karl Fletcher, a central character of the British television series Dream Team
 * Michael Fletcher, character in the Mach Breakers: Numan Athletics 2 video game
 * Morris Fletcher, a recurring character in The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen
 * Mundungus Fletcher, a Harry Potter character
 * Norman Stanley Fletcher, the lead character in the British sitcom Porridge
 * SJ Fletcher and Sid Fletcher, from the British soap opera EastEnders
 * Sally Fletcher, from the Australian soap opera Home and Away
 * Will Fletcher, a character in the ITV television drama series The Bill
 * Ferb, Lil Fletcher, D-Fletcher, and Lawrence Fletcher, from the Disney Channel series Phineas and Ferb
 * The Fletcher family in the film Raise Your Voice
 * Brigadier General Fletcher, a character in the video game Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance
 * James Emerson (Jaimy) Fletcher, a major supporting character in L. A. Meyer's Bloody Jack series
 * Fletcher Reede, the protagonist of the film Liar Liar
 * Terence Fletcher, in the 2014 film Whiplash