This surname is derived from an occupation. 'the hosier,' a manufacturer of hose, gaiters, coverings for the legs. Originally Hoser, the 'i' creeping in for euphony; compare lawyer and bowyer for lawer and bower.

William de Kekby, hoser: Freemen of York.

William de Snayth, hosier: ibid.

Cristian le Hosyer, Close Rolls, 32 Edward I.

Philip le Hosier, c. 1300. Writs of Parliament.

Lawrence Hosyer. Rolls of Parliament.

Thomas Hosyer, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

1579. Married — Steven Howssyer and Agnes Webbe: St. Dionis Backchurch (London).

This surname is derived from an occupation. 'the hosier'; v. Hosier.

The surname of a family in Lanarkshire. derived from the occupation of 'hosier' or dealer in hose or other knit goods. The suffix -or as in collier, glazier, sawyer, etc., appears as -ier, due apparently to assimilation to French derivatives in -ier.

= Hosier, q.v.

Camden explains Chaucer by Hosier. The hosier of modern times sells stockings and other soft ' under clothing.' Two hundred years ago, the hosiers of London were those tailors who sold readymade clothes (qui vendent des habits d'hommes tous faits. Cotgr.); but the original hosier was he who encased the "nether man" in leather: "The chaussure commonly used in England, when surnames were first adopted by the commonalty, was of leather, covered both the foot and leg, and was called hose. Hosier, therefore, is the same with Chancier, which comes from the Latin calcearius, and differs but little in meaning from another word used to denote the man who followed this employment, viz., Sutor, Sowter, or Souter, which was in use in English from the time of Chaucer to that of Beaumont and Fletcher. It is still preserved in Scotland, and has become a surname in both countries." Edinburgh Review, April, 1855.

The Hosiers, who are now scantily represented, were anciently connected with the corporations of Shrewsbury and Ludlow, both as bailiffs and mayors (P. and W.).