Eyster History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Eyster is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the family once having lived in the area of the town or village that was in the east. The surname originated in the southern counties of Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Essex.

However, another source claims the name could have been Norman in origin as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae list Amelot Best, or D'Est, was from Normandy in 1195. 1

Early Origins of the Eyster family

The surname Eyster was first found in Essex where they held a family seat from very early times in the town of Colchester. One of the first records of the name was Amelot Best, or D'Est, in Normandy in 1195. 1 But by the 13th century, the name was scattered throughout Britain with various spellings. The Hunderdorum Rolls of 1273 lists: Robert del Est in Cambridgeshire; Richard Est in Lincolnshire; and Geoffrey Est and Emma ate Estend in Oxfordshire. 2

There were two baronetcies created for persons with the surname East. The first was for William East of Hall Place who was High Sheriff of Berkshire in 1766. That title became extinct in 1828 with the death of the 2nd Baronet. The second was Edward Hyde East of Calcutta, India in 1823. He was Member of Parliament for Great Bedwyn (1792-1796) and Winchester (1823-1831.) And that title became extinct upon the death of the 2nd Baronet in 1878.

Through the female side Mary, daughter of Sir William East, 1st Baronet, of Hall Place married Sir East George Clayton to become baronets of Hall Place, Maidenhead in 1838.

Early History of the Eyster family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Eyster research. Another 192 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1196, 1200, 1297, 1300, 1540, 1565, 1588, 1601, 1602, 1604, 1606, 1608, 1609, 1610, 1618, 1631, 1675, 1696, 1745 and 1776 are included under the topic Early Eyster History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eyster 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 Eyster family name include East, Easte, Est, Eyst, Eyste and others.

Early Notables of the Eyster family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Thomas East (also spelt Est, Este, and Easte) (1540?-1608?), the English printer and music publisher who was made a freeman of the Stationers' Company on 6 Dec. 1565. 3 He was one of the most important of our early music typographers and publishers. The first work printed by him with which we are acquainted was Byrd's 'Psalmes, Sonets and Songs of sadnes and pietie,' which appeared in 1588, he then 'dwelling by Paules Wharf,' and describing himself as 'the Assigne of W. Byrd '; i. e. assignee of the patent granted to the...
Another 261 words (19 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Eyster Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eyster migration to the United States +

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 Eyster surname or a spelling variation of the name include:

Eyster Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Philip Eyster, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1751 4

Eyster Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Geo. S. Eyster, aged 42, who landed in America, in 1892
Lucy Eyster, aged 24, who landed in America, in 1895

Eyster Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

John B. Eyster, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States, in 1907
Roy W. Eyster, aged 42, who immigrated to Chicago, Ill., in 1923
Robert W. Eyster, aged 38, who settled in America, in 1924

Contemporary Notables of the name Eyster (post 1700) +

Brigadier-General George Senseny Eyster (1895-1951), American Deputy Chief of Informantion, Department of the Army (1948-1950) 5
Timothy "Tim" Eyster (b. 1978), American Young Artist Award nominated actor for his role in Salute Your Shorts
Henry Eyster Jacobs (1844-1932), American educator and Lutheran theologian
John C. Eyster, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Gold Democrat National Convention from Alabama, 1896 6
Jay A. Eyster, American Republican politician, Candidate for West Virginia State House of Delegates from Jefferson County, 1934; Chair of Jefferson County Republican Party, 1940-41, 1945-52 6
James Parry Eyster, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 8th District, 2000 6
Jacob Eyster, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Pennsylvania State Senate, 1819-24 (11th District 1819-22, 14th District 1822-24) 6
Howard E. Eyster, American politician, Mayor of York, Pennsylvania, 1953-55 6
George W. Eyster, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Delegate to Michigan State Constitutional Convention from Wayne County 16th District, 1961 6
Donald M. Eyster, American Republican politician, Candidate for West Virginia State Senate 16th District, 1952 6
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Eyster 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: J'avance
Motto Translation: I advance.

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. 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)
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, February 29) George Eyster. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Eyster/George_Senseny/USA.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html