Layer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The ancestry of the name Layer dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in Leire, in Leciestershire, or in Layer in Essex. They are all derived from an ancient Celtic river name, Leir. 1

Alternatively, the name could have been an occupational name for 'the layer,' i.e. a stone layer, one who sets the stones in building, a waller. 2

"'Layere, or werkare wythe stone and mortere, cementarius': Promptorium Parvulorum, and v. Way's note thereon. Probably the term was familiar to Norfolk, as the above quotation suggests, for Layer has been a Norfolk surname for many centuries." 3

And another source has a slightly different origin, noting the name was from the "French layeur, a forest surveyor; one who makes roads through forests." 4

Early Origins of the Layer family

The surname Layer was first found in Lincolnshire, where Hugh de Leir was registered in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1275. Years later, Alice le Eyr (Leyr) was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Essex in 1327 and in the same year, William le Eyr was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk. 1

As mentioned Norfolk became a stronghold for the family. The source History of Norfolk lists: George Layer, of Bury, Surrey, 1429; William Layer, Sheriff of Norwich, 1526 and Mayor, 1537; and Mary Layer, 1710, Boughton, Norfolk. A marker notes 'Here resteth the body of Mary, daughter of Christopher Layer, citizen and alderman of Norwich, who deceased the 9th of October, 1602' 5

Early History of the Layer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Layer research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1275, 1291, 1327, 1429, 1526, 1531, 1537, 1600, 1661, 1683 and 1723 are included under the topic Early Layer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Layer Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Layer have been found, including Layer, Layar, Layre, Leyr, Leyre and others.

Early Notables of the Layer family

Distinguished members of the family include

Christopher Layer (1531-1600), of Norwich, Norfolk, an English merchant, burgess of Norwich, and briefly a Member of Parliament. He was the son of William Layer, Mayor of Norwich and Elizabeth, daught...
Another Christopher Layer (1683-1723) was an English Jacobite conspirator, executed for high treason in 1723 for his part in what became known as the Atterbury Plot. He was the son of John Layer, a la...

Layer migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Layer, or a variant listed above:

Layer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Henry Layer who sailed to Philadelphia in 1765
Henry Layer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 6

Layer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Johannes Layer, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1806 6
Eva Schalin Layer, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1806 6
Louisa Layer, aged 20, who landed in New York in 1854 6
Friedrich Carl Layer, who was born in Appeweiler and who settled in North America in April 1854
Adam, David, Johann Gottlieb, Louise and Otto Friedrich Layer, who were all born in Reichenberg and who, who arrived in North America in 1866

Layer migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Layer Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

John Hend Layer who sailed to Nova Scotia in 1752

Contemporary Notables of the name Layer (post 1700) +

William B. Layer, American Republican politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Bronx County 1st District, 1929 7
Lewis Layer, American Democratic Party politician, Presidential Elector for Arkansas, 1948; Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Arkansas, 1952 7
Tim Layer, American basketball player
Friedemann Layer, German director in Berlin

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. 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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
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 2016, January 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html