The English surname of Fuller refers to occupational name for a dresser of cloth, especially wool, known as ’fulling’. The Old English term fullere (from the Latin fullo, with the addition of the English agent suffix of ere). The Middle English successor of this word had also been reinforced by Old French words fouleor, foleur, all of similar origin. The work of the fuller was to scour and thicken the raw cloth by beating and trampling it in water.

The Latin form was ‘Fullare’. A French language version would be ‘Fournier‘.

This surname is found mostly in seven counties in southeast England. There are also quite a few in the southern end of Scotland.

In the United States most Fuller families were located in Massachusetts and New York. Additional locations include the southern and mid-west states.

Fuller families in the 1880s were farmers.

Famous: Victoria Fuller (American model), Samuel Fuller (a physician on the ship ‘Mayflower’ and later at Plymouth Colony), Robert Fuller (actor), Melville Fuller (19th century Chief Justice of the United States of America), Henry B. Fuller (19th century writer), Frank Fuller (professional baseball player), Bobby Fuller (rock singer and guitarist) and Calvin Fuller (U.S. physical chemist, inventor of the solar cell).