Lochyers History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the name Lochyers dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from a member of the family who worked as a person who was a locksmith. 1 Occupational names that were derived from the common trades of the medieval era transcended European cultural and linguistic boundaries. Occupational names have remained fairly common in the modern period. This is attested to by the continuing appearance of occupational suffixes at the end of many English surnames. Some of these suffixes include: herd, monger, maker, hewer, smith, and wright.

"It is interesting to notice that while Lockyer has predominated over Locksmith in our personal nomenclature, yet locksmith has nearly ousted lockyer as an occupative term." 2

Early Origins of the Lochyers family

The surname Lochyers was first found in Somerset, where Kirby's Quest listed some of the first entries for the family: Nicholas le Lokyere; and Lucas le Lokier as both residing there, 1 Edward III (during the first year of Edward III's reign.) 3 And this tradition continued through the years as the Register of the University of Oxford lists William Lokier from Somerset in 1604. 2

London had early records for the family too as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Henry le Lockier there at that time. 4

Early History of the Lochyers family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lochyers research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1294, 1611, 1685, 1698 and 1771 are included under the topic Early Lochyers History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lochyers Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Lochyers has undergone many spelling variations, including Lockyer, Lockyers, Lockier, Lokier, Locker, Lockweer and many more.

Early Notables of the Lochyers family

Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lochyers Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lochyers family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Lochyers were among those contributors: George Lockyear, who settled in Virginia in 1663; Thomas Lockyer, who came to Virginia in 1663; and Jacob and Barbara Lockyer, who settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1766..

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print