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Beer History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Beer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
England
Germany

The ancestors of the name Beer date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Beer family lived in Devon, where they took their name from one of the many places named Bear, Beare, Beara, etc., found in that county. The surname is likely to be derived from the Old English word bearu, which means grove. Several early instances of that name are in the form le beare, or the bear, from the Old English bera. 1

"A gentleman in Kent, some years since, rejoiced in the Christian and sur-(or rather un-Christian and sur-ly)names of Savage Bear (English Sum.) Although I do not recollect any other instance of this name in modern English, the nomenclature of many European countries, both personal and local, abounds with it in various forms." 2

Early Origins of the Beer family

The surname Beer was first found in Devon where there are two places on the banks of Tamar called Beer-Alston and Beer-Ferris. In Dorset, place names include Beer-Hacket and Beer-Regis. 2 The earliest reference of the name was in Devon where it was listed as Bera in the Domesday Book 3

"Two places on the banks of the Tamar, in co. Devon, are called Beer-Alston and Beer-Ferris, while two others in Dorsetshire bear the names of Beer-Hacket and Beer-Regis." 2

In nearby Cornwall, another early listing of the family was found in the parish of St. Ervan. "Treravel, an ancient gentleman's seat, belonged in the days of Hals to George Bere or Beare, gentleman, who married Lanyon. This is now a farm house, the property of John Hicks, Esq." 4 The barton of Brynn, in the parish of Withiel, Cornwall was formerly a seat of the family of Beare, from whom it passed some time ago.

Early English rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used through Medieval times. Today we typically need to look beyond the spellings of these entries and concentrate on on a phonetic appreciation of the names. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Robert le Ber, Kent; Adam le Bere, Cambridgeshire; Clement le Bere, Oxfordshire; Walter le Bere, Oxfordshire; Lucy de la Bere, Devon; Elyas dela Byare, Devon; John de la Byare, Devon; and Reginald de Bere, Devon. 5

In Somerset, John de Bere and Robert atte Bere were listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 6

Early History of the Beer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beer research. Another 171 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1207, 1354, 1355, 1493, 1524, 1534, 1614, 1634, 1680, 1684, 1713 and 1799 are included under the topic Early Beer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beer Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Beer are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Beer include: Beare, Bear, Beer, Bere, Beares, Bears, Beers and many more.

Early Notables of the Beer family

Distinguished members of the family include Richard de la Bere, High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1354 and 1355. Richard Bere (d. 1524), was Abbot of Glastonbury and was installed in 1493 as the election of Thomas Wasyn having been quashed by the Bishop of Bath and Wells. "He was a great builder. Leland tells us that...
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beer Ranking

In the United States, the name Beer is the 5,970^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 7 However, in Australia, the name Beer is ranked the 910^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,319 people with that name. 8

Beer migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Beer or a variant listed above:

Beer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Edward Beer, who settled in Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1706
Heinrich Beer, who landed in America in 1731 9
Venn Beer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 9
Valtin Beer, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1732
Philip, Beer Jr., who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Beer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joseph Beer, who arrived in America in 1810 9
Hannah Beer, age 36, who arrived in New York City in 1820
William Beer, who arrived in New York in 1825 9
James Beer, who arrived in New York, NY in 1827 9
Bernh Beer, who arrived in America in 1845 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Beer migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Beer Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Miss Ann Beer, (Beard), (b. 1775), aged 23, English servant who was convicted in Kent, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Britannia III" on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1875 10
Miss Elizabeth Beer, English convict who was convicted in Kent, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Britannia III" on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1799 10

Beer Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Beer, English convict who was convicted in Sandwich, Kent, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Countess of Harcourt" on 29th April 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. William Beer, English convict who was convicted in Dorset, England for life, transported aboard the "Burrell" on 22nd July 1830, arriving in New South Wales 12
John Beer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Royal Admiral" in 1838 13
Elizabeth Beer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Royal Admiral" in 1838 13
George Richard Beer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Royal Admiral" in 1838 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Beer migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Beer Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Beer, British settler arriving as the 1st detachment of Royal New Zealand Fencible Corps travelling from Tilbury, Essex aboard the ship "Ramillies" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 6th August 1847 14
Mrs. Martha Beer, British settler travelling from Tilbury, Essex aboard the ship "Ramillies" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 6th August 1847 14
Thomas Beer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cairngorm" in 1863
John Beer, aged 18, a labourer, who arrived in Bluff, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adamant" in 1875 15
Mrs. Maria Beer, (b.1828), aged 48, Cornish settler departing on 7th September 1876 aboard the ship "Rangitiki" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 11th December 1876 16
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Beer (post 1700) +

Randall Beer, American professor of cognitive science, computer science, and informatics at Indiana University
Roy E. Beer, American Democratic Party politician, Chair of Woodford County Democratic Party, 1950 17
Richard Cameron Beer (b. 1893), American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Nassau, 1917-18; Ottawa, 1918-19; Havana, 1919; Bradford, 1919-20; Liverpool, 1920-21; London, 1921-22; Budapest, 1922; Belfast, 1924 17
Nelson R. Beer, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at Aurora, Indiana, 1967-69 (acting, 1967-68) 17
Larry Beer, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Colorado, 1996, 2000 17
Henry Ward Beer, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1932, 1936, 1940, 1944 17
Harold Beer, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Herkimer County, 1940 17
Frank W. Beer, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Arizona State House of Representatives, 1933-34 17
F. E. Beer, American politician, Mayor of San Mateo, California, 1928 17
Charles Beer, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1912 17
... (Another 19 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Beer family +

Arrow Air Flight 1285

Mr. Edward Myron Beer (1966-1985), American Private 2nd Class from Orlando, Florida, USA who died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash 18

Bismarck

Kurt Beer (1921-1941), German Matrose II who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 19

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Cyril Beer, British Chief Engine Room Artificer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 20

HMS Royal Oak

Alexander Edward Beer (d. 1939), British Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 21

North Sea Flood

John Vaughan Beer, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" who survived the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Britannia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th April 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/countess-of-harcourt
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/burrell
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ROYAL ADMIRAL 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838RoyalAdmiral.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
American War Memorials - Flight 1285. (Retrieved 2016, August 24) . Retrieved from http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=317&MemID=550
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html