Show ContentsArmer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Armer can either be derived from the Old French word for love "amor" or from the phrase "at the moor," shortened to A'Moor, implying one who lived near a moor.

Early Origins of the Armer family

The surname Armer was first found in Oxfordshire, where Adam ate More and Oliva Ate More were recorded in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 1

Early History of the Armer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Armer research. Another 35 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1467, 1479 and 1528 are included under the topic Early Armer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Armer Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Amor, Amore, Amour, Amoor, Amoore and others.

Early Notables of the Armer family

More information is included under the topic Early Armer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Armer Ranking

In the United States, the name Armer is the 14,132nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2


United States Armer migration to the United States +

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Armer or a variant listed above:

Armer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Markus Armer, who landed in New York, NY in 1851 3
  • Leon Armer, who arrived in Mississippi in 1898 3

New Zealand Armer 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:

Armer Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • George W. Armer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "African" in 1860
  • William Armer, aged 34, a blacksmith, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rakaia" in 1878

Contemporary Notables of the name Armer (post 1700) +

  • Laura Adams Armer (1874-1963), born Laura May Adams, an American artist and writer, best known for her 1932 novel Waterless Mountain which won the Newbery Medal
  • Elinor Armer (b. 1939), American pianist, music educator and composer
  • Alan A. Armer (1922-2010), American television writer, producer, and director, member of the Producers Guild's Television Hall of Fame


The Armer 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: Tu ne cede malis
Motto Translation: Yield not to misfortunes.


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. 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)


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