| ![Show Contents]() Saffer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England France The ancient surname Saffer came from the given name Savaric, an Old German name formed from the elements sav, with an uncertain meaning, and ric, which meant powerful. The name came to England with the Bretons who accompanied Duke William of Normandy when he invaded and conquered England in 1066. The Bretons came from Brittany, a French province located on a peninsula on the northwest coast of France. Formerly known as Armorica, a possession of the Roman Empire, this land consists of a plateau with a deeply indented coast and is broken by hills in the west. However, the region was renamed Britannia Minor by the Romans, following the emigration of six thousand Britons across the English Channel, an event which took place at the behest of the Roman Commander in Britain. Early Origins of the Saffer familyThe surname Saffer was first found in Devon where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. Early History of the Saffer familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Saffer research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1614, 1643, 1650, 1698 and 1715 are included under the topic Early Saffer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Saffer Spelling VariationsSince the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules, Breton surnames have many spelling variations. Latin and French, which were the official court languages, were also influential on the spelling of surnames. The spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules. Therefore, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England after the Norman Conquest, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. The name has been spelled Savory, Savery, Savary and others. Early Notables of the Saffer familyMore information is included under the topic Early Saffer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Saffer migration to the United States | + |
Early immigration records have shown some of the first of the name Saffer to arrive on North American shores were:
Saffer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Georg Saffer, who arrived in America in 1780
- Georg Saffer, who landed in America in 1783 1
Saffer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Jos Saffer, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850
- G. Saffer, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850
- Andreas Saffer, who arrived in New York, NY in 1863
- Conrad Saffer, who arrived in New York, NY in 1865
- John Saffer, who settled in Kansas in 1880
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Contemporary Notables of the name Saffer (post 1700) | + |
- Jason Saffer, American female impersonator, stand-up comedian and character actor
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: Aut vita libera aut mois gloriosa
Motto Translation: A life of freedom, or a death of glory.
- 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)
|
Saffer migration to the United States 
