Flathers Family History

English (Yorkshire): variant of Flather of uncertain origin. In the 19th-century Yorkshire dialect flather had the sense ‘flattery nonsense palaver’; it is probably a shortened form of Middle English Old French flaterie ‘flattery’.

If the change in consonant from t to th occurred in Middle English it is possible that the surname represents Middle English flater flatour (Old French flateor) ‘flatterer’ but more evidence is needed to support this explanation.