Show ContentsHolmer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Holmer Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Holmer

What does the name Holmer mean?

The surname is one of the many new names that came to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Holmer is for a maker of helmets. Originally the name Holmer was derived from the Old French word heumier. 1 2

Alternatively, the name could have been "a medieval personal name [derived from] a saint bearing it gave name to St. Omer in Picardy, from whence the founder of the family may have come to England, not necessarily, however, since Homerton, Homersham, Homersfield, &c., point distinctly to some Anglo-Saxon proprietor who rejoiced in this poetical designation." 3

Another source point to the Picardy, France origin in more detail: "St. Omer, a branch of the house of Bethune of Picardy, with which it is armorially identified. William, Castellan of St. Omer, was a distinguished historical character temp. Henry I. The family was extensively settled in England. William de St. Omer was a justice itinerant temp. Edward I. (Mon. ii. 809), and had a writ of military summons 1263. Sir Thomas de St. Omer was Lord of several Manors, Norfolk and Wilts 1316 (Parliamentary Writs). Hugh, Richard, and William de St. Omer occur in Norfolk, London, &c., 1130 (Pipe Rolls). " 4

And of course, we would be remiss if we did not mention the 8th century BC, Greek poet Homer, who authored the Iliad and the Odyssey, two epic poems that survive as the two of the best examples of ancient Greek literature.

Early Origins of the Holmer family

The surname Holmer was first found in Dorset, England where Thomas de Homere, had lands in 1338. 5 "He may have been so called, either from the 'martel de fer,' or hammer, being his favorite weapon, or from a manor named 'Homere.' (variant: Hamer.) A family surnamed Homer have been settled in Stafford­shire for centuries. According to tradition, their ancestor, an officer, removed (moved) there in the fourteenth century, in consequence of having fought a duel. One of his descendants built a house at Ettingshall, near Bilston, parish of Sedgley, co. Stafford; and from him sprang - Edward Homer, of Ettingshall, whose son, Capt. John Homer, b. 1647, immigrated to Boston, Mass., circa 1672; married Margery Stephens; and died, leaving a son, Benja­min Homer, b. 1698, who married Elizabeth, daughter of John Crowe, and Bethia Sears, his wife. " 5

A further scan through early rolls revealed Alan le Heumer, was a Freemen of York, 16 Edward II (during the 16th year of King Edward II's reign) 1 and in Somerset, we found Peter de Homere and John de Homere, 1 Edward III. 6 Holmer is a parish two miles from Hereford. 1

"The Homers of Dorchester and its neighbourhood possess an ancient Dorset surname. Homer is also the name of an ancient Staffordshire family, and there is a hamlet thus called in the adjoining county of Shropshire." 7

Early History of the Holmer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Holmer research. Another 278 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1279, 1296, 1332, 1576, 1731, 1761, 1799, 1838 and 1856 are included under the topic Early Holmer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Holmer Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Homer, Holmer and others.

Early Notables of the Holmer family

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

Holmer migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Holmer or a variant listed above:

Holmer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Uriah Holmer, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1852 8

Holmer migration to Australia +

Holmer Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Elizabeth Holmer, aged 29, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Melbourne"
HMS Cornwall
  • John Holmer, British Mechanician aboard the HMS Cornwall (1942) when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he survived the sinking 9
  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. 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)
  5. Dixon, Bernard Homer, Surnames. London: John Wilson and son, 1857. Print
  6. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  7. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  8. 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)
  9. Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A

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