| ![Show Contents]() Weier History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The surname Weier is of Norman origin. It was introduced into Normandy by Norsemen where it was derived from the Old Norse word "ver" which meant a "station" or "fishing station." After the Norman Conquest, the name was later derived from the Old English word "wær," or "wer," meaning "a weir." In both cases, the name was a topographic name. 1 Early Origins of the Weier familyThe surname Weier was first found in Roxburghshire, where they were descended from Aubri de Vere, a descendant of the Duchess Judith in 1058. His son, another Aubri, accompanied William the Conqueror to Hastings in 1066, and built a castle at Hedingham in Essex, and held Kensington in Middlesex. He was the ancestor of the Earls of Oxford. Although the de Veres were highly respected members of the aristocracy in England, a branch of the family moved northward in 1069 and settled in the lowlands of Scotland at Sprowestun, in Roxburghshire. Another source provides more detail: "Of Norman origin from one or other of the places named Vere in Calvados, Manche, Eure-et-Loire, and Oise. The word was introduced into Normandy by the Norsemen from their own ver, a station, as in fiskiver, a fishing station, a word etymologically akin to Old English weir, wear, a dam. Ralph or Radulphus de Ver is perhaps the first of the name recorded in Scotland. As Ralph de Ver he was taken prisoner at Alnwick along with William the Lion in 1174. He witnessed a charter by King William "de decimis episcopatus" of Moray between 1174-84." 2 "The Weirs of Lesmahago, Blackwood, &c., in Lanarkshire, claim descent from the great baronial family of De Vere, having been founded in Scotland by Baltredus de Vere, in the reign of Malcolm IV., about the middle of the twelfth century. From documents quoted in Chambers' Caledonia, it appears that the name Vere, or Weir, was by no means uncommon among the Norman settlers in Scotland, in that century." 3 Some remained in England as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 noted: John de la Were, Oxfordshire; and Robert de la Were, Gloucestershire. 1 Early History of the Weier familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Weier research. Another 172 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1012, 1069, 1174, 1296, 1398, 1400, 1432, 1489, 1497, 1600, 1638, 1662, 1670, 1694, 1713, 1794, 1838, 1876 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Weier History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Weier Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Weir, Vere, Ver and others. Early Notables of the Weier familyNotable among the family at this time was Rebecca Weir, grandmother of Ulysses S. Grant, U.S. President.Thomas Weir (1600?-1670), was a reputed sorcerer, son of a Lanarkshire proprietor in Clydesdale. "Whether influenced by remorse or lunacy, or a combination of the two, Weir, though he never professed any penitence, made a voluntary confession to the authorities of incest, sorcery, and other crimes; and, after trial, on 9 April 1670, during...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Weier Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Weier family to Ireland
Some of the Weier family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 115 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Weier migration to the United States | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Weier Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Johan Jorig Weier, who landed in New York in 1709 4
- Simon Weier, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1751 4
- Georg Weier, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1770 4
- Hans Jacob Weier, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1772 4
Weier Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Eleonore Weier, who arrived in America in 1857 4
| Contemporary Notables of the name Weier (post 1700) | + |
- Leon C. Weier, American politician, Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives, 1937-38, 1941-42 5
- August J. Weier (b. 1871), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives from Monroe County 1st District, 1897-1900 5
| Historic Events for the Weier family | + |
USS Arizona - Mr. Bernard Arthur Weier, American Private from Illinois, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 6
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: Vero nihil verius
Motto Translation: Nothing truer than truth.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
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Weier migration to the United States 
Scotland
Ireland
England
