Drescher

Recorded in a variety of spellings including Dresch, Dresche, Dreschel, Drescher, Dresser, Dreschler, Trescher, Troscher, (German) and in England Drezzer, Thresher, Thrasher and others, this is an ancient surname of Germanic and later Anglo-Saxon origins. It is also one of the first recorded, and is or rather was, occupational. As such it described a medieval agricultural contractor, one who was employed to 'thresh' the corn. Like many other agricultural trades of the Middle Ages, the nameholders probably travelled around the countryside in famillies during the harvest period, although they may well have been small holders or farmers in their own right. Occupational surnames, although amongst the first to be created from about the 13th century, only became hereditary when a son continued in the fathers job, whereas early locational surnames often referred to the name of a particular estate, and became hereditary simply because the family and the estate or village, were one and the same. In this case there are examples of the name recording as early as the year 1245, when Albertus der Trossche appears in the charters of the ancient city of Freiburg. Later examples include: Heinrich Droscheler in the year 1265, Cuonrad Trescher of Nubaum in 1284, and Johannes Dreschel of Merseburg, in 1287, whilst in England we have the late recording of Maria Drezzer who married Christofold Bernandi at St Anne's Soho, Westminster, on June 27th 1774.