Cleather History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Cleather

What does the name Cleather mean?

Cleather is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the family once having lived near a cliff, derivingh its origin from the Old English word clef, which means cliff. Sometimes the name refered to a gentle slope.

Early Origins of the Cleather family

The surname Cleather was first found in Cornwall in the parish of St. Cleather. "Mr. Whitaker, in adverting to the origin of its name, traces it up to the descendants of Brechan, a petty king of Wales, who had twenty-four sons and daughters, who came into Cornwall and Devonshire to preach the Gospel at a very early period. 'Cleder appears to have been a son, and to have taken his stand much more to the south than either of these two sisters. Yet the Cleder of the second valor is known to be dedicated to St. Clether, being popularly denominated St. Clether itself at present.' " 1

Early History of the Cleather family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cleather research. Another 59 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1604 and 1684 are included under the topic Early Cleather History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cleather 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 Cleather family name include Cleather, Cletar, Cleeter and others.

Early Notables of the Cleather family

More information is included under the topic Early Cleather Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cleather migration to Canada +

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, 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 Cleather surname or a spelling variation of the name include:

Cleather Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Col. Cleather, who arrived in Quebec in 1858

Sources +

Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print