| ![Show Contents]() Ayer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of AyerWhat does the name Ayer mean? The chronicles of the Ayer family show that the name was first used in the Scottish/English Borderlands by the Strathclyde-Britons. It was a name for a person who lived in the city of Ayr in South-Western Scotland. Early Origins of the Ayer familyThe surname Ayer was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where the family has held a family seat from ancient times. One of the first on record was Reginald Ayr, who was Clerk of Ayr in 1287 and Albinus Ayr had a charter of lands from King Robert the Bruce in 1315. Early History of the Ayer familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ayer research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1522, 1567, 1638 and 1712 are included under the topic Early Ayer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Ayer Spelling VariationsThe origin of rules governing the spelling of names and even words is a very recent innovation. Before that, words and names were spelled according to sound, and, therefore, often appeared under several different spelling variations in a single document. Ayer has been spelled Ayer, Air, Ayre, Ayers and others. Early Notables of the Ayer familyMore information is included under the topic Early Ayer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Ayer Rankingthe United States, the name Ayer is the 7,630th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 Migration of the Ayer family to IrelandSome of the Ayer 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.
| Ayer migration to the United States | + |
The persecution faced in their homeland left many Scots with little to do but sail for the colonies of North America. There they found land, freedom, opportunity, and nations in the making. They fought for their freedom in the American War of Independence, or traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In both cases, they made enormous contributions to the formation of those great nations. Among them:
Ayer Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- John Ayer, who was on record in Massachusetts in 1635
- Simon Ayer, his wife Dorothy and their eight children, who all settled in Massachusetts in 1635
- John Ayer, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1640
- Henry Ayer, who immigrated to Rhode Island in 1655
- Peter Ayer, who settled in New England in 1666
| Contemporary Notables of the name Ayer (post 1700) | + |
- Nathaniel Davis Ayer (1887-1952), American (British born) composer of popular music
- David Ayer (b. 1968), American screenwriter
- Fred M. Ayer, American Republican politician, Member of Alaska Territorial Senate 2nd District, 1923-26 2
- Francis B. Ayer, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from New Hampshire, 1868 3
- F Wayland Ayer, American Republican politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for New Jersey, 1912 3
- Edward Perkins Ayer (1862-1935), American Republican politician, Minister; Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Easton, 1902 3
- Donald B. Ayer (b. 1949), American politician, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California, 1981-86 3
- David Andrew Ayer (b. 1953), American Republican politician, Mechanic; Delegate to Republican National Convention from Vermont, 2004 3
- Daniel Ayer, American politician, Representative from New York 17th District, 1876 3
- ... (Another 15 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
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: Lighter than air
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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