Meiler History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Ireland

After the forces of Strongbow invaded Ireland they discovered that the Irish had their own system of hereditary surnames. Although the two naming systems had many similarities, occupational surnames, such as Meiler were much more common to the Anglo-Norman culture of the Strongbownians. Occupational surnames were derived from a word describing the actual job done by the initial name bearer. The prefix le, meaning the, in French was often used by the early Strongbownians to link a person's first and name and surname. Eventually these prefixes were dropped or became fused onto the beginning of the surname. The surname came from a common occupational name for an enameler. The surname Meiler is derived from the Old French word esmaileur, which has this meaning. The name Meiler is also occasionally derived from the Welsh personal name Meilyr, which was Maglorix in Old Welsh. The Gaelic forms of the surname Meiler are Maoilir and Mac Maoilir.

Early Origins of the Meiler family

The surname Meiler was first found in Wales. One of the first recorded ancestors bearing this name was Nicholas Meyler, Canon of St. David's in South Wales in 1202.

We know that at least one branch of the family accompanied Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke on his invasion of Ireland in 1172. There, settling in Wexford, some of the family adopted the Gaelic of Maoilir, and some even became MacMeyler and McMeyler.

George Meyler and Walter Meyler where notables of this branch at Tincurry, Wexford. Meanwhile, a branch of the family settled in Shropshire, where Henry and Walter Meyler were registered in 1273.

Meyler de Bermingham (d. before 1275) was an Anglo-Irish lord, founder of Athenry. Meyler was a great-grandson of Robert de Bermingham who is thought to have obtained a grant of Offaly from Strongbow or Henry II about 1172.

While his surname was in fact, de Bermingham, it is significant to note the early use of Meyler as a forename. Myler of Tethmoy, who died in 1211, was the son of Robert of Tethmoy, (fl. 1172.)

Early History of the Meiler family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Meiler research. More information is included under the topic Early Meiler History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Meiler Spelling Variations

Medieval scribes and church officials spelled the names as they sounded, so a name was often spelled many different ways during the lifetime of a single person. The investigation of the origin of the name Meiler revealed many spelling variations including Meyler, Mailer, Mailler, Mayler, Meiler, Meiller, Maylor, MacMeyler, McMeyler, McMailor, McMeiler, Meilir and many more.

Early Notables of the Meiler family

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

Meiler migration to the United States +

In the mid-19th century, Ireland experienced one of the worst periods in its entire history. During this decade in order to ease the pressure of the soil, which was actually depleted by the effects of the previous years' grain crops, landowners forced tenant farmers and peasants onto tiny plots of land that barely provided the basic sustenance a family required. Conditions were worsened, though, by the population of the country, which was growing fast to roughly eight million. So when the Great Potato Famine of the mid-1840s hit, starvation and diseases decimated the population. Thousands of Irish families left the country for British North America and the United States. The new immigrants were often accommodated either in the opening western frontiers or as cheap unskilled labor in the established centers. In early passenger and immigration lists there are many immigrants bearing the name Meiler:

Meiler Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joh Meiler, aged 24, who landed in New York, NY in 1855 1

The Meiler 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: Amor patriae vincit
Motto Translation: Patriotism conquers.

Citations +

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)