Usher One-Name Study

Usher
One-Name Study

Topics

About the Usher One-Name Study
Variants
Origin of the surname
Historical occurrences
Frequency of the name
Data
Contact Details

About the Usher One-Name Study

The Usher One-Name Study grew out of my interest in tracing my own famliy tree. Over the last thirty years I've been actively involved in many facets of genealogy, having taught the skills of successful researching in six-week courses, on two levels, beginners and advanced (all this before the advent of computers). I did research for clients and was a founding member and its first president (for seven years) of the Gold Coast Family History Research Group Inc; obtained premises for them out of which to operate; successfully applied for a total of three Government Grants (one Federal and two State) so that the Group could operate on a professional level; wrote articles for journals and biographical dictionaries; and edited a quarterly genealogical journal.

I then retired in 1999 to concentrate in researching for and writing a book entitled 'A Muster of Ushers' which deals with six hundred years of history as lived by my own ancestors whom I had traced in a fully authenticated line back to Arland Uscher, a mayor of Dublin in the 1400s. The book is a massive hard-cover buckram-bound publication, totalling 637 pages, A4 size, of 62 chapters, 49 illustrations, a 78 page Genealogical Table, 12 appendices, plus a 27 page triple-columned surname index.

The Alexander Henderson Award is presented annually by the Institute of Genealogical Studies Inc, based in Victoria. I was persuaded to enter my book in 2004. That year there were 30 entries from all over Australia and, although I had doubts that it would be judged not to have sufficient Australian content, the book did very well. That year instead of three awards, First, Second and Third, being granted, there were five awards - one First, two Equal Second and two Equal Third.

My book was awarded an Equal Second Prize and below are the commernts made about the book by the judging panel at the Presentation Dinner:

'A Muster of Ushers by Jemma Ussher is a scholarly, extremely well-crafted family history, thoroughly researched and documented, and offering a wealth of genealogical and biographical data on a multitude of lines of the Ussher/Usher/Uscher dynasty................................. A Muster of Ushers is an inspiring piece of genealogical endeavour.'

Variants

Apart from USHER, there are and have been various versions including USCHER, USSHER, USHAW, and even (mainly in Dorset) HUSHER.

Origin of the surname

The Ushers were originally of the Norman race, frequently but mistakenly assumed to be of French origin. They were more accurately of Viking Origin. The Vikings landed in the Orkneys and Northern Scotland about the year 870 AD under their king, Stirgud the Stout. His descendant, Thorfinn Rollo, landed in Northern France about the year 940 AD. The French king, Charles the Simple, after Rollo had laid siege to Paris, finally conceded defeat and granted Northern France to Rollo, who became the first Duke of Normandy. Rolle married Charles' daughter and became a convert to Christianity. It was a descendant of his, William (the Conqueror) bastard son of Robert, surnamed 'Le Diable', Duke of Normandy, who invaded and won England by defeating Harold at the Battle of Hastings.

The first record of the surname USHER in Britain appears to have emerged in Durham when the de Nevil family was granted the office of Usher of the Court. The de Nevils claimed descent from Gilbert de Nevil, the Conqueror's Admiral of the Fleet of 1066 who, after the battle of Hastings, was granted lands originally in Westmoreland and Yorkshire. The Nevils of Raby Castle, Yorkshire, marked this heritage with a galley in their arms.

The Usher was the chief gentleman of the court, his duty was daily attendance on the king, and he was required to allow only important men into the Royal presence. An old tradition tells us that the Usher wore a gown that had a small hidden pocket sewn into it at the back and level with his left shoulder. It was the custom for those who wished to show their appreciation for services rendered to pat the Usher on the left shoulder, at the same time slipping 'a little something' into the concealed pocket. This is reputed to be the origin of the saying that has come down to us and is still used today -

'he deserves a pat on the back.'

The word Usher is from the old French '(le) ussier', a door, whence hussier, Usher, Latin Ostiarius, one who stands at the door to usher visitors into the presence.

In 1171 Henry 11 arrived in Ireland, the first English king to do so. He visited to check that his Norman lords, who had invaded Ireland a couple of years earlier, were not developing any ideas of establishing an independent kingdom, in the way that William the Conqueror had done in England. A few years later, in 1184, he sent the youthful Prince John into Ireland. It is traditionally accepted that one of the Nevil family, a John Nevil, accompanied Prince John to Ireland, as Usher of the Court, and he took the surname from the office he bore.

The early 1300s saw firstly ruinous famine throughout Britain, followed by the even more devastating plague that spread westward across Europe, arriving in England and Ireland in the 1340s, and raging, on and off, for almost the rest of that century. Half the population of Britain perished in the plague, including Richard 11's first wife, Anne of Bohemia. Therefore any hope of tracing the Usher family lines back in time prior to the 1400s, with any degree of accuracy, is not really possible.

Two early Nevils were:

Ralph Nevil (1364-1425) Earl of Westmoreland. His family was one of the most powerful in England and shared dominance of the Northern counties with the Percy family. Ralph succeeded his father Baron Nevil of Raby in 1388. his second wife was Joan Beaufort, daughter of John of Gaunt and half-sister of Henry of Lancaster (later Henry 1V). He was the father of a large family, many of whom made advantageous marriages. His daughter, Cecily Nevil married Richard, Duke of York, and became the mother of Edward 1V and Richard 111. One of his grand-sons was Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, called 'the Kingmaker'.

Richard Neville (1428-71) 'the Kingmaker' was the son of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and grand-son of Ralph Nevil, Earl of Westmoreland. For his career see 'Warwick the Kingmaker' by Paul Murray Kendall, 1957, re-issued 1985.

It is perhaps no wonder that some, having the name Nevil or Neville, during those troublesome times, found it more convenient to be known by the surname USHER.

Fast- forwarding to the early 1900s we find an USHER (a grandson of Sir Thomas Ussher) who reversed the process by changing his surname back to NEVILLE (mainly to avoid creditors and irate husbands !)

Historical occurrences

Early Historical Occurrences:

1281 - In the Pleas Roll of Edward 1 - was mention of a William USCHER, culling trees from the forest in Wexford. Ireland.

1288 - In the Calendar of State Papers temp Edward 1 - 'The King notifies that Wm de Valance (Earl of Pembroke and Wexford) his uncle, and Joan his wife, remaining in England, had attorned before the King Simon de Usher, etc, in all pleas and pliants in the courts of Ireland.' And further the same year 'Simon le Usher attorned for 2 years.'

1290/91 - 'Letters of Attorney in Ireland for 3 years under the names of Simon le Usher and Peter le Usher for Joan de Valance.' (Pat 19 Edw 1, m17) amd likewise again in 1295.

1301 - In the Cal of State Documents, Ireland 1302-97, we read 'Feb 17, 1301/2, grant to John le Uscher, servt of the king, at the instance of King Edward's son, custody of the King's Castle of Dublin, to hold for his life, provided that he conducts himself well and faithfully in the custody.'

1307 - In the Memoranda Rolls, 1st year of Edw 11, 'John Usher, re-appointed Constable of Dublin Castle.'

1420 - Arlantor or Arlanton USCHER, was born in Dublin. The records reveal that he was a Dublin merchant in 1439, Bailiff of Dublin in 1461, Mayor of Dublin in 1469.

1521 - His grand-son Arland USCHER was: Ireland King of Arms in 1521; Collector of Customs for the ports of Dublin, Drogheda and Dundalk in 1532, and died in 1557.

The name Arland is evidently an abbreviation of the older forms of Arlantor and Arlanton, which are the original of Arlander and Alentor and the same as Orlando or Roland. The form Arland appears in only two other families, those of Barry and Eustace, and then perhaps by derivation from the Uschers.

A similar name, Erland, is found frequently among the Norse Jarls of Orkney: thus Erland, Earl of Orkney (d.950); another Erland, Earl of Orkney (d. 1098), had a son, Erling, slain in Ireland; and Erland Ungi, Earl of Orney (d. 1156)

Some prominent USHERS:

Henry USHER (c1550 - 1613) gained great renown as a preacher, particularly in the Irish language, but owes his place in history to the share that fell to him in the foundation of Dublin University. Henry went, in 1590, at the request of Parliament, and at his own expense,to plead for permission to establish the first university in Ireland. So successful was he that he returned to Ireland with a Charter from Queen Elizabeth, in which it is expressly stated that the Queen grants it 'owing to his persuasion and in consequence she appoints him to be its first Fellow, his friend Rev Luke Challoner, the second Fellow, and Henry's nephew, Rev Lancelot Money, third Fellow.' Thus Trinity College Dublin (TCD) came into being. For his labours he was promoted to the Primacy, which he held until his death.

James USHER (c1580 - 1656) nephew to the above Henry, was a famous scholar, antiquary and divine whose name as a man of learning became known throughout Europe and even penetrated into the Far East where he had agents employed to secure rare manuscripts. In 1593, the building of TCD being finished, then in his 13th year, James entered as a scholar. He was not, as Bernard claimed, the first scholar entered, but would appear to be the second (his name follows that of Abel Walsh, who was afterwards Dean of Tuam) and 8th Fellow elected by merit. He was successively Professor of Divinity in Dublin University for 14 years, Bishop of Meath for 4 years and Archbishop of Armagh for 31 years, then was promoted to the Primacy in 1624. It was while working on the MSS for his work 'The antiquities of the British Churches' that he came upon the famous and long-missing 'Book of Kells' under a note in which, by Gerald Plunkett, who got it from Richard Plunkett, the last Abbot of Kells, Usher wrote 'August 24, 1621, I received the leaves of this booke and found them to be in number 344.He who reckoned before me counted six score to the hundred, Ja Usher (Episopu) Midensus Elc.'

The Book of Kells, one of the two finest examples of Irish or Hiberno-Saxon illuminated manuscripts (the other being the Book of Lindisfarne) is renowned as an ancient manuscript copy of the gospels. It was donated to Trinity College, with most of what remained of Usher's library, after his death.

Usher was appointed by Charles 1 to hold the Bishopric of Carlisle, after being deprived of his property in Ireland by the 'rebels' in 1641, while he was in England. He lived to be very poor and dependent on the bounty of kind friends, due to his faithfulness to the monarchy and the Church, in the days of Oliver Cromwell. When he died Lady Peterborough (who had extended Usher unlimited hospitality) and Sir Timothy Tyrell (who had married Usher's only daughter) intended to have Usher buried in the Countess's vault, and had his body embalmed. But Cromwell ordered the body to be buried in Westminister Abbey. The C of E requiem service had been banned during the Commonwealth period, however Cromwell had it re-instated for Usher's funeral only,which took place on 17 Apr 1656. Though the funeral brought great praise to Cromwell for his so-called liberality, it cost the government only 200 pounds. But the family was sent a bill for three times that amount !

Henry Essex EDGEWORTH (1745 - 1807) whose mother was an USSHER, was the son of a Protestant clergyman named Robert Edgeworth. Three years after Henry's birth, his father suddenly converted to the Roman Catholic faith. Realising that his career in Ireland was at an end, Robert Edgeworth determined to go abroad and begin life again. His wife, Martha Ussher and his wife's sister, Katherine Ussher, had also both become Catholics. To cut a long story short, Henry Essex Edgeworth, at the age of 4, was taken to France, given to the Jesuits to educate, became a priest himself, took the name 'L'Abbe de Firmont', rose to be Vicar General of Paris and confessor to the French sovereign Louis XV1, accompanying that unfortunate monarch in the coach on his journey to the guillotine.

Sir Thomas USSHER KCB (c1779 - 1848) Rear Admiral of the Blue, was the eldest son of Henry Ussher, first Astonomer Royal of Ireland. He entered the Navy in Jan 1791 and his exploits read like a Hornblower saga, but he is probably best known for being the man who took Napoleon into exile on the island of Elba. Upon his return to England, the Admiralty tried to make him say the Napoleon was mad. He refused, saying 'He is no more mad than you or I' In consequence he was in disfavour for some time, but he was not a man to court favour against his own convictions. In 1830 he was appointed Equerry to the Household of Queen Adelaide, was created in 1831 a KCB (accompanied by the honour of a Knighthood) and advanced to the rank of Admiral in 1846. He filled the posts of Commodore or Commodore-Superintendent, of Bermuda and Halifax Dockyards, 1831-38, and of Naval Commodore-in-Chief at Cork from 1 Jul 1847 till his death on 6 Jan 1848.

Edgeworth USSHER (1804 - 1838) a devoted Loyalist at an unsettled time in Canada's history, he was the subject of a tragedy that stamped the name Ussher upon the history of the Niagara Frontier. He was active against MacKenzie's rebellion, assisted Andrew Drew in trhe burning on the 'Caroline' and was assassinated by the notorious Ben Lett.

John Tannatt USSHER (1831 - 1879) one of the 14 Provincial Policemen who died while on duty during the early history of British Columbia. He was a farmer at Kamloops, also serving as a gold commissioner, government agent, constable and jailer, and he was murdered while on duty by four outlaws who were known as the McLean gang.

Clarence Douglas USSHER (1870 - 1955) second son of the Right Rev Brandram Boileau Ussher, he combined both medicine and the church to become a medical missionary for 17 years in Armenian Turkey prior to WW1.

Frequency of the name

From the Index on the 1881 Census of England, Scotland, Wales, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Royal Navy, there were 3,401 people bearing the surname USHER or USSHER.

Data

Having concentrated on and written extensively about those of the line originating in Ireland, I have, since publishing in 2004, collected data on those who have originated elsewhere. These include all entries fron the General Register Office (GRO) for England and Wales (since English civil registration commenced 1 Jul 1837).

Also the same for New Zeland, and most States within Australia.

I am also gradually collecting entries from Parish Registers, PCC Wills, and all other sources that can be accessed, like the British Cenuses for 1841, 1851, 1961, 1871, 1981, 1891 and 1901; the USA Census of 1880; and the Canadian Census of 1881.

The data is being organised into family groups and pedigrees, some of the latter being kindly contributed by other Usher researchers. All authenticated data is gratefully accepted and, where possible, information held here will be provided to inquirers.

Contact details

For further information, contact:

Ms Jemma Ussher
P.O. Box 1126,
Southport,
Queensland
4215
Australia
E-mail:

This page last updated 25 February 2008.