Contents [hide]

Hyer History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Hyer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Hyer is a name whose history is entwined with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It was a name for a person who was well-known as the heir to a title, fortune, or estate. The name is thought to be derived from the Old French eir, which is itself derived from the Latin heres, meaning "heir." 1 2 3

Two other sources elude to the Norman influence of the name: "Eyre: is a place-name in Normandy," 4 and the name is "from Le Heir, Heres. William and Wyrnarc Heres occur in Normandy 1198 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae)." 5

Early Origins of the Hyer family

The surname Hyer was first found in Derbyshire, where the ancestral home of the main branch of the Hyer family is thought to be located. Early written records of the name Hyer have been found in many counties, notably Derbyshire, Wiltshire, and Shropshire.

The Feet of Fines for Essex for 1208 includes an entry for Ralph le Eir and later, Robertus Heres was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1220. In Cambridgeshire, we found Robert leyre in the Feet of Fines for 1245 and in Gloucestershire, Richard le Heyer was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls for 1274. In Yorkshire, early records show Adam le Hayre at Wakefield in 1275 and a few years later, Robert le Heir was listed at Eynsham, Oxfordshire in 1281. 6

In the early legends of the Eyre family, it was recounted that a Knight named Eyre who fought with Richard the Lionheart at the Battle of Ascalon during the Crusades lost a leg while defending his King, which is why the family still bears a booted leg in its crest. 2

Another source, mentions that the traditional origin of the name was in circumstance of a Norman knight having at the Battle of Hastings succoured (helped) duke William of Normandy and given him air when he was in danger of suffocation. 7

"The Eyres appear as witnesses to charters in the Peak of Derbyshire in the remotest period to which private charters ascend. The first of the name known is William le Eyre, of Hope, in the reign of Henry III." 8

The chapel in Great Longstone, Derbyshire contains monuments to the "family of Eyre, earls of Newburgh." 9

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include entries for: Henry le Eyer, Oxfordshire; Adam le Eyr, Cambridgeshire; and William le Eyre, Cambridgeshire. 1

Early History of the Hyer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hyer research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1216, 1582, 1585, 1628, 1635, 1638, 1657, 1659, 1660, 1661, 1662, 1665, 1666, 1670, 1678, 1680, 1689, 1693, 1695, 1698, 1700, 1701, 1705, 1712, 1715, 1729, 1735 and 1768 are included under the topic Early Hyer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hyer Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Hyer were recorded, including Eyre, Eyer, Eyers, Eayres, Eyres, Ayer, Ayers,Heyer, Ayr, Air, Aires, Hyer, Hayer, Hoyer and many more.

Early Notables of the Hyer family

Notables of the family at this time include John Ayer (1582-1657), an English settler to Massachusetts sailing aboard the ship James in 1635, settling in Ipswich, Haverhill, and Salisbury, born in Salisbury, Wiltshire.Henry Eyre (1628-1678), was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1659 and 1678; Sir Giles Eyre (c. 1635-1695), was an English politician and judge, Member of Parliament for Downton (1660-1661), and Salisbury in 1689.Sir Samuel Eyre (1638-1698), was an English judge; and his son, Sir Robert Eyre (1666-1735), an English lawyer, Solicitor-General and Chief Justice of the Common Pleas.John Ayres (fl. 1680-1700)...
Another 162 words (12 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hyer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hyer Ranking

In the United States, the name Hyer is the 10,485^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 10

Migration of the Hyer family to Ireland

Some of the Hyer family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 119 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hyer migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Hyer family emigrate to North America:

Hyer Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Temperance Hyer, who arrived in Virginia in 1650 11

Hyer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jurig Hyer, aged 24, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1739 11
Conrad Hyer, who arrived in New England in 1760 11
Jacob Hyer, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1772 11

Hyer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Lewis Hyer, who landed in Mississippi in 1854 11
Thomas Hyer, who emigrated from Ireland to Ohio in 1869

Contemporary Notables of the name Hyer (post 1700) +

O. O. Hyer, American Republican politician, Candidate for West Virginia State House of Delegates from Clay County, 1946 12
Lewis Spencer Hyer (1839-1909), American Democratic Party politician, Mayor of Rahway, New Jersey, 1874-75, 1888, 1889-91; Candidate for New Jersey State Senate, 1881; Common Pleas Court Judge in New Jersey, 1882-96 12
James Henry Hyer (1903-1956), American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Senate 29th District, 1932 12
Harvey F. Hyer, American politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Braxton County, 1865 12
George Hyer, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Wisconsin State Senate 13th District, 1851; Member of Wisconsin State Assembly, 1863 12
Frederick C. Hyer (b. 1874), American Democratic Party politician, Newspaper editor; Candidate for New Jersey State Senate from Union County, 1908 12
Ellas Hyer, American politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Braxton County, 1879 12
Alex M. Hyer (b. 1848), American politician, Mayor of Orlando, Florida, 1879-80 12
Absalom Hyer, American politician, Delegate to Texas Convention of 1832 from District of Sabine, 1832 12
Lawrence Hyer Boerner (1905-1969), American Major League Baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox in 1932

The Hyer Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Virtus sola invicta
Motto Translation: Virtue alone is invincible.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Dixon, Bernard Homer, Surnames. London: John Wilson and son, 1857. Print
Baring-Gould S., Family Names and their Story. London: Seeley, Service & Co. Limited, 1913. Print
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html