Cryer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Cryer is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name was taken on by someone who worked as a town crier, or for an officer of a court who made public announcements. These offices were important in the Middle Ages, since the majority of the population were illiterate; thus information could only be spread among the common people through verbal means. The surname Cryer is derived from the Old English word criere, which in turn came from the Old French word criere, which was the nominative case of the word crieur, which means crier.

Early Origins of the Cryer family

The surname Cryer was first found in Worcestershire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Cryer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cryer research. Another 62 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1221, 1269, 1379, 1590 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Cryer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cryer Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Cryer include Cryer, Cryour, Crier, Criur, Crieur, Crioure and others.

Early Notables of the Cryer family

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

Cryer Ranking

In the United States, the name Cryer is the 14,661^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Cryer migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Cryer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

William Cryer who arrived in Maryland in 1722
Jane Cryer, who arrived in America in 1755

Cryer Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

John Archie Raymond Cryer, who landed in Alabama in 1921 2

Cryer migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Cryer Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

James Cryer, aged 18, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1860 aboard the ship "Grand Trianon"

Contemporary Notables of the name Cryer (post 1700) +

Linda Cryer, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 2000 3
George Edward Cryer (1875-1961), American Republican politician, Mayor of Los Angeles, California, 1921-29; Defeated, 1933 3
C. E. Cryer, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1964 3
Suzanne Rossell Cryer (b. 1967), American stage and television actress
George Edward Cryer (1875-1961), American Mayor of Los Angeles between 1921 and 1929
Barry Charles Cryer OBE (1935-2022), English writer, comedian, and actor from Leeds, Yorkshire who wrote for many performers including Dave Allen, Stanley Baxter, Jack Benny, Rory Bremner, George Burns, Jasper Carrott, Tommy Cooper and many more
George Robert "Bob" Cryer (1934-1994), English Labour Member of Parliament
John Maxwell "Max" Cryer MBE (1935-1936), New Zealand television producer and presenter, radio broadcaster, entertainment producer, singer, cabaret performer and writer
Terry Cryer (1934-2017), British jazz and blues photographer
John Robert Cryer (b. 1964), British politician and former Member of Parliament for Hornchurch from 1997 until 2005

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html