| ![Show Contents]() Myres History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Myres is rooted in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It was originally a name for someone who worked as a person who held the office of mayor. The surname was originally derived from the Old English word maire, which referred to the officer who was in charge of executing summonses and other legal matters. Therefore, the original bearer of the surname Myres held the office of Mayor. 1 Early Origins of the Myres familyThe surname Myres was first found in Cheshire at Mere, a township, in the parish of Rosthern, union of Altrincham, hundred of Bucklow. The place name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was first listed as Mera. 2 Literally, the place name means "(place at) the pool or lake," from the Old English word "mere." 3 Alternatively, the surname could have originated at Mere in Wiltshire, a market-town and parish, and the head of a union, in the hundred of Mere. This parish was listed in the Domesday Book, but with the current spelling of Mere. 2 In this case, "the name of this place is derived from the Saxon word Mæra, signifying bounds or limits, and indicates its situation on the borders of the counties of Wilts, Somerset, and Dorset. In 1253, permission was given by Henry III. to Richard, Earl of Cornwall, to build and fortify a castle on his manor of Mere, and the manor has ever since been attached to the duchy of Cornwall. " 4 The family was listed in the Roll of Battle Abbey as companions to William the Conqueror. "The descendants of this Norman knight occupied a prominent position in Staffordshire, in the time of the early Plantagenets. William de Mere occurs as High Sheriff of that county, temp. Edward II., and in the next reign, Peter de la Mere filled the Speaker's chair in the House of Commons. At an early period, the family possessed the manor of Maer, co. Stafford, and are also found resident at Norton, in the Moors. The name is spelt, in ancient deeds, de Mere, de Mare, but the more recent orthography is Mayer. " 5 For centuries the township of Lartington in the North Riding of Yorkshire belonged to the Maire family until the 16th century when it was passed by marriage to the Lawsons, of Brough. 4 Early History of the Myres familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Myres research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1379, 1453, 1467, 1477, 1544, 1550 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Myres History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Myres Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Myres are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Myres include Maire, Myer, Myers, Mair, Maires, Mayers, Meyers, Meire, Meir, Mere and many more. Early Notables of the Myres familyMore information is included under the topic Early Myres Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Myres RankingIn the United States, the name Myres is the 15,105th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6  Migration of the Myres family to Ireland
Some of the Myres family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 85 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Myres migration to the United States | + |
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Myres or a variant listed above:
Myres Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- B F Myres, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 7
| Myres migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Myres Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century- Robert Myres, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1778
- Mr. Michael Myres U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1784 he served in the Royal Regiment of New York 8
- Mr. John Myres U.E. from New York, USA who settled in Elizabeth Town [Elizabethtown], Leeds County, Ontario c. 1786 8
| Myres migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Myres Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Mr. James Myres, Scottish convict who was convicted in Ayr, Scotland for life, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
| Contemporary Notables of the name Myres (post 1700) | + |
- Sandra L Myres, American professor of history and author
- John Nowell Linton Myres CBE (1902-1989), British archaeologist, Librarian at the Bodleian Library in Oxford (1948-1965), son of Sir John Myres
- Sir John Linton Myres (1869-1954), British archaeologist, the first Wykeham Professor of Ancient History, at the University of Oxford, in 1910
- Myres S. McDougal (1906-1998), American professor at the Yale Law School for fifty years
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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)
- Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
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Myres migration to the United States 
Myres migration to Canada 
Myres migration to Australia 
England
Ireland
