Surname Ushery - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'U'
Ushery: What does the surname Ushery mean?
The last name Ushery is of English origin and it's believed to derive from an occupational name. It's most likely linked to the term "usher", which is an official position within legal and church systems who traditionally would be a doorman or gatekeeper of some sort. There are also related tertiary roles such as the person who shows you to your seat in a theater or serves as an administrative assistant in a school system. The use of "usher" dates back to Middle English and the surname Ushery could have been adopted by people who held these roles in society.
However, like many surnames, exact origins can be varied and complex, subject to factors like regional dialects and variations, shifts in language over time, and individual family histories. So while this provides a general notion, it may not cover all historical roots of the name Ushery. Therefore, for someone carrying this surname, researching specific ancestral lines can provide a more precise origin and meaning.
Order DNA origin analysisUshery: Where does the name Ushery come from?
The last name Ushery is of English origin and is most commonly found today in the United States and Canada. In the United States, the last name Ushery is most concentrated in Colorado, Illinois, and Missouri. According to research conducted by Ancestry.com, the last name Ushery was most found in the states of Illinois, Montana, and Georgia; however, the name is present in some form in all fifty states.
In Canada, the last name Ushery is most concentrated in Alberta and Ontario. According to research conducted by the Canadian Census, the last name Ushery is the 9,030th most common surname in the country.
Historically, the last name Ushery may have been used as an occupational surname as it is thought to be derived from a job or occupation. The name is most likely derived from the Middle English "usheren," meaning "usher," which is an occupation that involves managing the movement of people, or "ushering" them in and out of places. In the early Middle Ages, an Usher was a kind of personal assistant or servant who provided services to a lord in Medieval castles.
Therefore, the last name Ushery is most commonly found in countries of English-speaking heritage such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Variations of the surname Ushery
Ushery is an uncommon surname even in its native land, England, yet can be found in family lines across the globe. It is often spelled Ushery, Usher, Ussher, Usheri, Ushry, Ushrye, and Ussheri.
Ushery is derived from 'usigere' or 'usigeur', an Old French word which means 'usher', or one who shows people to their seats. It is likely the name of a medieval profession or occupation, as it evolved into a surname through English people's tradition of taking the name of their occupation.
The earliest records of the Ushery name can be traced back to Gloucestershire, England where it was recorded as quasi-distinctive spelling of the surname Ushrye in the 12th century. Furthermore, the will of a William Usheri (or Ushery) is recorded in the year 1342.
Usher (without the "y") can have a different origin and may be derived from the old Slavic and Polish language. In those languages, 'uszko' means 'small ear', and this has also been used as an occupational name to refer to a messenger who carried mail with small notes or small scrolls.
The variation of Ushery surnames across the world is wide-ranging. This is due to its highly mobile nature, traced to the original translocations of the English settlers. For example, French Canadians would spell Ushery as 'Usherée', and Italian-American families may use the Italian spelling 'Usheri' or 'Uscheri'. Similarly, Irish families often changed the spelling of Ushery to ‘Ó hUsceir' or 'O'huskier'.
Famous people with the name Ushery
- Carmelita Ushery: an American civil rights leader and civil rights activist.
- Carol Ushery: an American songwriter and music producer who has worked and collaborated with various celebrities, including Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, and J. Cole.
- Jacob Ushery: a former professional boxer who competed during the 1950s and early 1960s.
- Willie Ushery: an American gospel radio broadcaster and evangelist, active mainly in the 1940s and 1950s.
- Owen Ushery: an American professional wrestler who competed in the King of the Ring tournament in 1966.
- Allen Ushery: an American professional soccer player, who represented the Chicago Spurs in the United Soccer Association in 1967.
- Joseph Ushery: an American electrical engineer, inventor, and television executive, known for developing the first color television system for RCA in the 1950s.
- Anne Usher: a popular American actress from the early to mid 20th century, active on stage, radio, and television.
- Eddie Ushery: a retired American soccer defender who competed professionally in both the American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League in the late 70s and early 80s.
- Bud Ushery: an American television producer from the 1950s to the 1980s, best known for producing the Georgia Championship Wrestling program for six years.