|
![Show Contents]() Gayer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The surname Gayer is a nickname surname; that is, it is derived from a nickname given to the original bearer. A broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, nickname surnames referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character. Often nicknames described strong traits or attributes that people wished to emulate in a specific animal. In the pre-Christian era, many pagan gods and demi-gods were believed to be a mixture of animals and humans, such as the Greek god Pan who was the god of flocks and herds and was represented as a man with the legs, horns and ears of a goat. In the Middle Ages, anthropomorphic ideas, which attributed human qualities and form to gods or animals, were held about the characters of other living creatures. They were based on the creature's habits. Moreover, these associations were reflected in folk tales, mythology, and legends which portrayed animals behaving as humans. The surname Gayer is derived from the Old German word "gir," which means "vulture." It was given to a person known for greedy, predatory ways. Early Origins of the Gayer familyThe surname Gayer was first found in Padeborn, in the ancient duchy of Saxony, where this family name became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. As early as 1288 Johann Gyr appears in mediaeval feudal documents as county ruler in Warburg. As old as these documents may be, the name is also associated with families of ancient nobility in Austria and Franconia (later Hessen). Always prominent in social affairs, the name Geyer became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the Feudal System and the nation. Early History of the Gayer familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gayer research. Another 185 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1490, 1525, 1665, 1685 and 1743 are included under the topic Early Gayer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Gayer Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Geier, Geyer, Gayer, Gaier, Gire, Gyre, Geyre, Gayre, Geyr and many more. Early Notables of the Gayer familyAnother 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gayer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Gayer migration to the United States | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Gayer Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Francis Gayer, who settled in Virginia in 1635
Gayer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Sampson Gayer, who arrived in Virginia in 1706 1
- Andrew Gayer, a bonded passenger who arrived in Virginia in 1718
- George Gayer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1761 1
- Joh Erhardt Gayer, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1771 1
Gayer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- G Gayer, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 1
- Fredrich Gayer, who landed in Iowa in 1888 1
| Contemporary Notables of the name Gayer (post 1700) | + |
- Ted Gayer, American economist, associate professor at Georgetown Public Policy Institute
- Arthur Edward Gayer (1801-1877), English Ecclesiastical Commissioner for Ireland, born on 6 July 1801 near Newcastle-under-Lyne, Staffordshire, the eldest son of Edward Echlin Gayer, major 67th regiment 2
- 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)
- Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
|
Gayer migration to the United States 
Belgium
Netherlands
England
Germany
