Show ContentsCreer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Hebrides islands and the west coast of Scotland are the ancestral home of the Creer family. Their name comes from the given name Gregor. The personal name Gregor, which is the Scottish form of Gregory, is derived from the Latin name "Gregorius" and from the Late Greek name "Gregorios," which mean alert, watchful, or vigilant.

Early Origins of the Creer family

The surname Creer was first found in Dumfriesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Dhùn Phris), a Southern area, bordering on England that today forms part of the Dumfries and Galloway Council Area, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Early History of the Creer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Creer research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1542, 1598 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Creer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Creer Spelling Variations

Medieval translation of Gaelic names could not be referred to as an accurate process. Spelling was not yet standardized, and names in documents from that era are riddled with spelling variations. Creer has been written as Greer, Grier, Grear, Grerar, Greir, Greerr, Grearr and many more.

Early Notables of the Creer family

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

Ireland Migration of the Creer family to Ireland

Some of the Creer family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 65 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Creer migration to the United States +

Ancestors of many of the Dalriadan families who crossed the Atlantic still live along the east coast of the United States and Canada. Some Scottish settlers arrived in Canada during the American War of Independence as United Empire Loyalists, while others stayed south to fight for a new nation. The descendants of Scottish settlers in both countries began to rediscover their heritage in the 19th and 20th centuries through Clan societies and highland games. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Creer or a variant listed above:

Creer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Thomas Creer, who landed in America in 1760-1763 [1]

New Zealand Creer 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:

Creer Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • W. Creer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "British Empire" in 1880 [2]
  • Mary A. Creer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "British Empire" in 1880 [2]
  • E. J. Creer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "British Empire" in 1880 [2]

Contemporary Notables of the name Creer (post 1700) +

  • Kenneth B. Creer, American politician, Mayor of Springville, Utah, 1986-89 [3]
  • Mrs. Caroline Creer M.V.O., British Head of Private Secretary’s Office Secretariat for the Royal Household was appointed Member of the Royal Victorian Order on 17th June 2017


The Creer 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: Memor esto
Motto Translation: Be mindful.


  1. 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)
  2. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook