Foucher

Recorded in some twenty nine spellings including Foucard, Fouchard, Foucher, Fouquier, Fouche, Fouque, Fouquet, Fouqueau, Foucret, and others quite rare, this is a medieval French surname, but one of pre 9th century Gallic-Germanic origins. It is however generally described in France as Norman-Picardy. It derives from the Germanic elements folk or volk meaning people, and wald, to rule, giving a literal translation of 'people rule.' It was one of a large group of personal names (surnames did not come along for another five hundred years) which were created to extoll the national virtues of togetherness, strength, faith, and the rule of law - at a time in history known as 'The Dark Ages' when there was very little! These early names became particularly associated with the reign of the Emperor Charlamagne, or Charles the Great, in the 8th century. He ruled over a polyglot of nations including parts of what are now Germany, The Netherlands, and France, and brought some stability to Northern Europe. The surname as Faucher, Foucher, Fowcher, Fulcher and others, has been recorded in England since at least the 12th century with the first being Ralph Fulcher of the county of Suffolk, in 1182. As Foucher it was also a Huguenot surname, Joseph Henri Foucher being recorded at La Patente French church, Spitalfields, city of London, on December 22nd 1700.