Archer is a surname in the English language. Etymology The name Archer is derived from the Middle English archere, and Old French archer, archier. The surname originated as an occupational name denoting an archer. By the 14th century, the mentioned Middle English and Old French words replaced the native English bowman. In North America, the surname Archer has absorbed many like-sounding names and cognates (for example, the French Archier). People with the surname Academics and scientists Allan Frost Archer (1908–1994), American arachnologist, entomologist and malacologist David Archer (scientist), American computational ocean chemist Edward Archer (physician) (1718–1789), English doctor associated with inoculation against smallpox Frederick Scott Archer (1813–1857), British pioneer of photography Gleason Archer Sr. (1880–1966), founder of Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts John Hall Archer (1914–2004), Canadian historian, and first President of the University of Regina John Stuart Archer (1943–2007), Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University 1997–2006 Kellie Archer (born 1969), American biostatistician L. Bruce Archer (1922–2005), British mechanical engineer and Professor of Design Research Leonie Archer (born 1955), British author and historian Margaret Archer (born 1943), British sociologist Mary Archer (born 1944), British solar power scientist Mike Archer (paleontologist) (born 1945), Australian palaeontologist Mildred Archer (1911–2005), English art historian Thomas Andrew Archer (1853–1905), English historian William Archer (architect) (1820–1874), botanist and architect William Archer (naturalist) (1830–1897), Irish naturalist and microscopist Actors Anne Archer (born 1947), American actress Beverly Archer (born 1948), American actress John Archer (actor) (1915–1999), American movie and television actor Melissa Archer (born 1979), American actress Architects Colin Archer (1832–1921), Scottish-born Norwegian naval architect John Lee Archer (1791–1852), Australian architect and engineer Thomas Archer (1668–1743), English Baroque architect William Archer (architect) (1820–1874), Australian architect, naturalist, grazier and politician Artists Aaron Archer (born 1972), American toy designer Dave Archer (painter) (born 1941), American reverse glass painter and sculptor Ernest Archer (1910–1990), British art director James Archer (artist) (1823–1904), Scottish painter Janet Archer (fl. 1873–1916), British painter Val Archer (born 1946), British painter Businesspeople Bill Archer (businessman), British businessman and founder of Focus DIY Henry Archer (1799–1863), Irish businessman, lawyer, railway pioneer and inventor James Archer (stock trader) (born 1974), English businessman and stockbroker Renato Archer (born 1984), Suriname entrepreneur Judges Glenn L. Archer Jr. (1929–2011), American judge Philip Edward Archer (born 1925), former Chief Justice of Ghana Musicians, singers, and composers Christopher Archer (born 1988), Australian vocalist of the band Backyard Mortuary Edward Archer, hip-hop performer Special Ed Frederic Archer (1838–1901),