Minor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Minor was carried to England in the enormous movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Minor family lived in Herefordshire. Occupational names frequently were derived from the principal object associated with the activity of the original bearer, such as tools or products. In this case, this surname likely also was derived from the trade name for a miner. 1

Early Origins of the Minor family

The surname Minor was first found in Herefordshire. "This gallant Norman family appears to have been rewarded by grants of land in Herefordshire. Certain it is that the estate of Treago in that county has been held by the family of Mynors from the era of the Conquest even to the present day, [c.1880] being now possessed by Peter Rickards Mynors Esq., who also represents the great and historic house of Baskerville of Erdesley, and derives in direct descent from the royal line of Plantagenet. " 2

We did find this interesting entry about this family: "A Herefordshire family of this name claims to have been seated at Treago, in that county, from the time of the Conquest: but their pedigree only begins in the fourteenth century with John de Miners, Constable of the Castle of St. Briavel under Edward II. The name, however, is found much earlier, as Gislebert and Henry de Mineriis occur in Palgrave's Rotuli Curia Regis of 1198. They held of the Honour of Breteuil in Normandy." 3

Early History of the Minor family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Minor research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1500, 1501, 1608, 1609, 1629, 1654, 1660, 1677, 1690 and 1720 are included under the topic Early Minor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Minor Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Mynors, Minors, Miners, Mynor, Myner, Miner and others.

Early Notables of the Minor family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Thomas Minors (1609-1677), an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1654 and 1660

Minor Ranking

In the United States, the name Minor is the 1,014^th most popular surname with an estimated 29,844 people with that name. 4

Minor migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Minor or a variant listed above:

Minor Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Minor, who arrived in Salem in 1629 abord the ship "Lyon's Whelp"
Thomas Minor, who settled in Connecticut in 1630
Doodes Minor, who landed in Virginia in 1640 5
Katherine Minor, who landed in Virginia in 1643 5
Charles Minor, who landed in Maryland in 1649 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Minor Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Maria Wilhelmine Philippine Minor, who arrived in America in 1854 5
Joh Wilh Minor, who arrived in America in 1854 5
Karl Minor, who arrived in America in 1854 5
Charles W Minor, who arrived in America in 1893 5
Mrs. Louise Minor, aged 39, German settler who arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "La Gascogne", heading to Lexington 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Minor migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Minor Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Salmon Minor, who arrived in Canada in 1834

Contemporary Notables of the name Minor (post 1700) +

Ryan Dale Minor (1974-2023), American Major League Baseball third baseman, Minor League Baseball manager and professional basketball player who played all or parts of four seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1998 to 2001, with the Baltimore Orioles and Montreal Expos
Mike Minor (1940-2016), stage name of Michael Fedderson, an American actor, best known for his role as Steve Elliott on Petticoat Junction (1966-1970)
Robert Berkeley "Bob" Minor (1884-1952), American political cartoonist, a radical journalist, and a leading member of the American Communist Party
Blas Minor Jr. (b. 1966), retired American Major League Baseball player
Michael David "Mike" Minor (b. 1987), American professional left-handed starting pitcher
Edward Minor, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1932 7
Donald E. Minor Jr., American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Ohio 7th District, 1998, 2000 7
Clifford J. Minor, American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, 2010 7
Clifford E. Minor, American politician, Warden (Borough President) of Fair Haven East, Connecticut, 1917 7
Charles S. Minor, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Plymouth, 1918 7
... (Another 35 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
"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)
Germans to America retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from Glazier, Ira. A., and Filby, P. William. Germans to America: Lists of Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports. Vol. 62, Scholarly Resources Inc, 2185
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html