Harper

Racial Origin – English
Source – An occupation

If you want to know just what sort of a position the harper held in medieval times you should read the historical romances of Sir Walter Scott dealing with medieval life in the Scottish borderland.

Persons bearing the family name of Harper may count upon it, unless the name was arbitrarily adopted at some later period, that their ancestors in the Middle Ages were bards, traveling entertainers, who derived their sustenance from the donations of the nobility; men who travelled about from castle to castle, chanting their songs of history and tradition.

They were by no means looked down upon as persons of inferior position.  They were, in fact, lionized and respected in much the same fashion that the professional musician is today, and they lived on “charity” only in the sense that authors, physicians and members of other respected professionals did, for in those days it was not possible to commercialize art, and virtually all members of professional and artistic callings had to rely upon the patronage of some member of nobility for their support.

The harp was probably a more popular musical instrument along the Scottish border and in Wales, than in other sections of England, though the harpers travelled the entire island.