Show ContentsPlaier History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient name of Plaier finds its origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from a name for a person who worked as a player, which was originally derived from the Old English word plegere. In this case the Plaier surname referred to those individuals who were musicians or actors who played for a living. 1

While most sources believe the name is Saxon, one source claims that the name may have been Norman as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists Andreas Placitor in Normandy (1180-1195.) 2

Early Origins of the Plaier family

The surname Plaier was first found in Middlesex where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Plaier family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Plaier research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1561, 1582, 1596, 1604, 1606, 1608, 1609, 1619, 1651, 1660, 1672 and 1755 are included under the topic Early Plaier History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Plaier Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Plaier family name include Player, Pleyer, Players and others.

Early Notables of the Plaier family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Thomas Player (1608-1672), English Chamberlain of London, son of Robert Player of Canterbury. He was one of the leading residents in Hackney, where he had a large house in Mare Street, and he soon occupied a prominent position in the city. He became a member of the Haberdashers' Company, and was elected by the livery chamberlain of London on 20 Oct. 1651. On 5 July 1660 he...
Another 75 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Plaier Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Plaier family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Plaier surname or a spelling variation of the name include : Robert Player, who settled in Nevis in 1663; John and Richard Player settled in Virginia in 1653; Thomas Player settled in Maryland in 1654.



The Plaier 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: Servitute clarior
Motto Translation: More illustrious by service.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)


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