This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of the bower,' an indoor servant, one who waited 'in my lady's chamber'; v. Bowerman. 'Bowre chambyr': Promptorium Parvulorum.

'That chanteth thus under our bower wall' Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales. The added s is common to these specific names. Thus the exact equivalent 'Chamber' is more generally found as Chambers; compare Brooks and Styles for Brook and Style. Possibly it is the patronymic s, as in Perkins or Jones.

Robert Atte-bure, rector of Gunton, Norfolk, 1372: History of Norfolk.

Perhaps the above represents Bury, which see. Richard atte Boure, Close Rolls, 20 Edward II. John atte Bear, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

Richard atte Bowre, 1306. Writs of Parliament.

Agnes del Bowre, 1372: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

(a) Occup. 'the bowyer.' The y has crept in as in lawyer, sawyer, &c In the Order of the Procession of Occupations, Crafts, and Companies to be made on Corpus Christi Day at Norwich, 1533, the 'Fletchers, Bowers, and Turners' were placed in the second division: Blomefield's Norfolk.

Thomas le Bower, Close Rolls-, 7 Edward III:.

(1) From the old manor of Bower in the parish of Drummelzier, Peeblesshire. Lorence atte Bure of the county of Peebles, and William Oftherebure of the county of Roxburgh rendered homage, 1296. The seal of the latter reads. S' Will'd' Lebvre (Bain, II, p. 200,207, 533). Adam de Bwr, bailie of Ayr in 1401 (Friars Ayr, p. 37) appears in 1415 as Adam de Bowr or de Bowre, burgess of Arne (Ayr, p. 9, 11), and as Adam of Boure burgess of Arne, gave an annual rent of 4s. to the Friars Preachers (Friars Ayr, p. 47). (2) A shortening of Bowmaker, which see. Before the invention of gunpowder a bowmaker was an honorable and lucrative profession. In Edinburgh the bowmakers in the seventeenth century were known as 'Bowers.' Walter Bower or Bowmaker abbot of Inchcolme, was continuator of John of Fordun's Scottish Chronicle. The surname is found in Aberdeenshire and in Angus at an early date, and a family of the name were burgesses of Dundee in the seventeenth century (Wedd.). Roger Bower held land at the Cuykstoll, Aberdeen, in 1317 (SCM., V, p. 7), John Bower was a monk of Arnbroath in 1387 and Robert Bowar the same in 1425 (RAA., II, 39, 59). John Bouer, procurator in Brechin, 1435, may be John de Bouere de Frertoun, armiger, 1450 (REB., I, 78,143). Patrick Bowre had a remission for his share in burning the town of Dunbretane in 1489 (APS., XII. p. 34; Lennox, II, p. 132), and Thomas Dower was forfeited for holding Dunbar Castle against the king, 1479 (Stodart, II, p. 415). John Bowyr was tenant in Stobo, 1528 (Rental). Roger Ascham in his Toxophilus (1545, ed. Arnber, p. 83, 84), commenting on Textor's praise of excellence of the Scottish archers, says: "The Scottes surely be good men of warre in theyr own feate as can be: but as for shotinge, they neyther can vse it for any profyte, nor yet wil chalenge it for any prayse . James Stewart fyrst kyng of that name, at the Parliament holden at Saynt Johnnes towne or Perthie, commaunded vnder payne of a greate forfyte, that euerye Scotte shoulde learne to shote: yet neyther the loue of theyr countrie, the feare of their enemies, the anoydyng of punishment, nor the receyuinge of anve profyte that myght come by it, could make them to be good Arnchers. Therefore the Scottes them selues proue Textor a Iyer, both with authorise and also daily experience, and by a certaine Prouerbe that they haue amonges them in theyr communication, wherby they gyue the whole prayse of shotynge honestlye to Englysshe men, saying thus: that every Englysshe Arncher beareth vnder hys gyrdle, xxiiii. Scottes.".

Probably just the same as Bower (1), which see. Added s is common in such specific names. Margaret Bouris in Stobo, 1511 (Rental). John Bowers, silk weaver in Edinburgh, 1666 (Edinb. Marr.), and Christian Bowars appears in Bankhead, parish of Tulibole, 1677 (Dunblane).

(English) 1 Dweller at a Bower, i.e. a Cottage, Villa [Middle English hour, bowre, Old English búr, a chamber, cottage, villa] Richard atte Bowre.—Parl. Writs.

2 Peasant, Husbandman (Old English ge)búr] 3 = Bowyer, q.v.

This name is sometimes a modern Anglicization of the Ger. Bauer.

An occasional synonym by mistranslation of Mac Cullagh in Co. Sligo. MIF 77

(English, Scottish) Dweller ill a cottage or chamber; one who came from Bower (house), in Peeblesshire; one who built houses; one who made and sold bows.

A Scotticism for Bowyer. Also a room in a feudal mansion. See under Borrer.

From bur, Saxon, a chamber; a cottage; a shady recess.

Bower: an indoor servant, attendant on the ladies. Also Bowerman and Burman.

Derbyshire is the principal home of the Bowers, and Chesterfield is the particular locality in which they have long resided. Going back to the 17th century, we find that the Bowers were then numerous and well known in Chesterfield; about 200 years ago one of the aldermen bore the name (G.). The name is also represented in the neighbouring counties of Cheshire and Notts.