Frobisher (surname)

Frobisher is an

occupational surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name, ...

, a variant form of 'furbisher', i.e. a person who 'furbishes' (burnishes) weapons and armour as part of the production process (

Middle English Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English p ...

''fourbishour'', from

Old French Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intelligib ...

Benjamin Joseph Frobisher Lt.-Colonel The Hon. Benjamin Joseph Frobisher (March 26, 1782 – March 18, 1821), M.P., J.P. was a fur trader and political figure in Lower Canada. Career He was born in Montreal, the son of Joseph Frobisher, and studied in England. In ...

(1782–1821), Canadian fur trader and politician, son of Joseph Frobisher *

Joseph Frobisher The Hon. Joseph Frobisher (April 15, 1748 – September 12, 1810) M.P., J.P., was one of Montreal's most important fur traders. He was elected to the 1st Parliament of Lower Canada and was a seigneur with estates totalling 57,000 acres. ...

(1740–1810), Canadian fur trader and politician, brother of Benjamin and Thomas Frobisher *

Martin Frobisher Sir Martin Frobisher (; c. 1535 – 22 November 1594) was an English seaman and privateer who made three voyages to the New World looking for the North-west Passage. He probably sighted Resolution Island near Labrador in north-eastern Canada ...

(c. 1535 – 1594), English sailor and explorer *

Thomas Frobisher Thomas Frobisher (1744 – September 12, 1788) was an English fur trader in Canada. The son of Joseph Frobisher and Rachel Hargrave, He was born in Yorkshire, England and came to Quebec City in 1769. Frobisher joined his brothers Joseph and Be ...

(1744–1788), Canadian fur trader, brother of Joseph and Benjamin Frobisher Fictional characters: *Arthur Frobisher, villainous billionaire in the television series '' Damages'' *Buck Frobisher, character in the television series ''

Due South ''Due South'' is a Canadian crime comedy-drama television series created by Paul Haggis, and produced by Alliance Communications from its premiere on April 26, 1994, to its conclusion after four seasons on March 14, 1999. The series starred Pau ...

'' *Robert Frobisher, composer in the novel ''

Cloud Atlas A cloud atlas is a pictorial key (or an atlas) to the nomenclature of clouds. Early cloud atlases were an important element in the training of meteorologists and in weather forecasting, and the author of a 1923 atlas stated that "increasing use ...

'' and mentioned in other David Mitchell books {{surname, Frobisher English-language surnames