Show ContentsNailor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Nailor was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is a name for a maker of nails having derived from the Old English word nayl.

Early Origins of the Nailor family

The surname Nailor was first found in Gloucestershire where they held a family seat from very early times. There is an early record of Stephen le Nailere in 1231 in the Patent Rolls of London.

Early History of the Nailor family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nailor research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1616, 1660, 1822 and 1831 are included under the topic Early Nailor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nailor Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Nailor include Naylor, Naylour, Nayler and others.

Early Notables of the Nailor family

Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Nailor Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Nailor migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Nailors to arrive on North American shores:

Nailor Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • James Nailor, who arrived in Virginia in 1661 1

Canada Nailor migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Nailor Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • William Nailor, who landed in Halifax or New York in 1811

Australia Nailor migration to Australia +

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

Nailor Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • George Nailor, English convict from Nottingham, who was transported aboard the "Albion" on September 21, 1826, settling in New South Wales, Australia 2
  • Mr. Thomas Nailor, British Convict who was convicted in Salford, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Asiatic" on 26th May 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3

New Zealand Nailor migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Nailor Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Nailor, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Jessie Readman" arriving in Port Chalmers, Otago, New Zealand on 1st October 1875 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Nailor (post 1700) +

  • Henry J. Nailor, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1916


  1. 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)
  2. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Albion voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1826 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/albion/1826
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asiatic
  4. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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