Boyers History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Boyers is an ancient Strathclyde-Briton name for a person who worked as a maker of bows. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English word bower, which means bow maker.
Early Origins of the Boyers family
The surname Boyers was first found in Peeblesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd nam Pùballan), former county in South-central Scotland, in the present day Scottish Borders Council Area, where they held a family seat in the old manor of Bower in the parish of Drummelzier.
One of the first records of the family was "Lorence atte Bure of the county of Peebles, and William Oftherebure of the county of Roxburgh [who] rendered homage [to King Edward I of England] in 1296." 1
Early History of the Boyers family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boyers research. Another 166 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1317, 1387, 1449, 1479, 1489, 1615, 1664, 1671, 1681, 1685, 1686, 1689, 1702, 1705, 1706, 1718 and 1766 are included under the topic Early Boyers History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Boyers Spelling Variations
Surnames that evolved in Scotland in the Middle Ages often appear under many spelling variations. These are due to the practice of spelling according to sound in the era before dictionaries had standardized the English language. Boyers has appeared as Bower, Bowre, Bowyr, Bowers, Bowyer, Beauer and many more.
Early Notables of the Boyers family
Notable amongst the family at this time was Walter Bower or Bowmaker (d. 1449), Abbot of Inchcolm, reputed continuator of Fordun's 'Chronica Gentis Scotorum,' as it appears in the volume generally known as the 'Scotichronicon.'
Archibald Bower (1686-1766), was a Scottish author of the 'History of the Popes,' born on 17 Jan. 1685 at or near Dundee; according to his own account, he was descended from an ancient family which had been for several hundred years possessed of an estate in the county of Angus in Scotland. In 1702 he was sent to the Scotch college at Douay; afterwards proceeded to Rome...
Another 114 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Boyers Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Boyers Ranking
In the United States, the name Boyers is the 17,865th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2
Migration of the Boyers family to Ireland
Some of the Boyers 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.
Boyers migration to New Zealand +
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:
Boyers Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Robert Boyers, aged 42, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1876
- Faith Boyers, aged 37, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1876
- Edward Boyers, aged 17, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1876
- Maria Boyers, aged 11, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1876
- Charlotte Boyers, aged 7, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1876
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Boyers (post 1700) +
- Seymour Boyers (b. 1926), American politician, Member of New York State Assembly 24th District, 1967-68 3
- Martin J. Boyers, American politician, Representative from Alabama 6th District, 1986 3
- Jacob Edgar Boyers, American Republican politician, Secretary of State of West Virginia, 1863-65 3
- Bernard A. Boyers, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at New Martinsville, Virginia, 1860-61 3
The Boyers 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: Ad metam
Motto Translation: To the mark.
Citations +