Amorie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Amorie

What does the name Amorie mean?

Amorie is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Amorie comes from the Old French word amauri, which means work-rule or perhaps "valiant and diligent ruler." 1

Early Origins of the Amorie family

The surname Amorie was first found in Tours in Normandy, where the name was spelt D'Amery, or Amaury the delicate of Pontoisse, and they settled in England after the Norman Conquest in 1066. 2 Consequently, the name was listed as in the Lating form, Haimericus in the Domesday Book. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had only one listing for the family: Roger Ammary in Bedfordshire. 4

"One branch of this ancient house was long seated at Yatt, co. Gloucester; and another has migrated to the United States, where the name and family of Amory are well known and esteemed." 5

Early History of the Amorie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Amorie research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1182, 1207, 1221, 1691 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Amorie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Amorie Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Amory, Emery, Amery, Ammory, Ammery, Emry and others.

Early Notables of the Amorie family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Thomas Amory (1691-1788), an English-Irish writer best known for his book "Life of John Buncle," and Amory of Knightshaven. He was the son of Councillor Amory, who accompanied William III to Ireland, was made secretary for the...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Amorie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Amorie family to Ireland

Some of the Amorie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Amorie family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Amorie or a variant listed above were: Thomas Emry, who was among the first group of immigrants to Jamestown, Virginia in 1607; Rebecca Emry, who settled in Maryland in 1664; Thomas Amory, who migrated to South Carolina and became Advocate General and Speaker of the House of Assembly, Lord Palatine in 1690.

The Amorie 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: Amore non vi
Motto Translation: Love not by force

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
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)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.