Amery History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Amery came to England with the ancestors of the Amery family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the Old French word amauri, which means work-rule or perhaps "valiant and diligent ruler." 1
Early Origins of the Amery family
The surname Amery 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 Amery family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Amery research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1182, 1207, 1221, 1691 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Amery History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Amery Spelling Variations
Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Amery family name include Amory, Emery, Amery, Ammory, Ammery, Emry and others.
Early Notables of the Amery 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 Amery Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Amery family to Ireland
Some of the Amery 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.
Amery migration to the United States +
To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Amery family to immigrate North America:
Amery Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- David Amery, who settled in New York in 1820
- John R. Amery, who immigrated to Nantucket in 1823
- John Amery, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1839 6
Amery migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Amery Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Thomas Amery, who arrived in Kangaroo Island aboard the ship "Lady Mary Pelham" in 1836 7
Contemporary Notables of the name Amery (post 1700) +
- Shenda Amery, English painter and sculptress who was chosen to sculpt the busts of two sitting British Prime Ministers, Margaret Thatcher and John Major
- William B. Amery (1925-1928), English representative of the United Kingdom government in Australia, eponym of the Amery Ice Shelf, Antarctica
- Leopold Charles Maurice Stennett Amery CH (1873-1955), English politician
- Mohammed Amery (1954-2023), Canadian politician who was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, born Amiri
- John Amery (1912-1945), native of England who was recruited by the Nazi party during the 2nd World War
- Carl Amery (1922-2005), pen name of Christian Anton Mayer, a German writer and environmental activist
- Richard Sanderson Amery MP (b. 1951), Australian politician, member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
- Moe Amery (b. 1954), born Moe Amiri, Lebanon-born, Canadian politician, member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
- Harold Julian Amery PC (1919-1996), Baron Amery of Lustleigh, British Conservative politician
Historic Events for the Amery family +
- Mr. Thomas C F Amery (b. 1890), Welsh Able Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 8
The Amery 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.
- 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)
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LADY MARY PELHAM 1836. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1836LadyMaryPelham.htm
- H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm