Umbrella History

The first umbrellas were designed to provide shade from the sun and not the rain. In fact the word umbrella comes from the Latin word for shade. Initially umbrellas were considered a fashion accessory for women only. The first man to carry an umbrella publicly was Englishman Jonas Hanway who was teased mercilessly and for a short time umbrellas were jokingly called “Hanways.”

Eventually a waterproof covering was added and umbrellas gained in popularity. Although umbrellas can now be bought on practically every street corner for almost nothing carrying an umbrella was originally considered a symbol of wealth and power.