Saylors History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Saylors

What does the name Saylors mean?

The surname Saylors is derived from the Old Norman French word "sailleor," which denotes a "leaper" or "dancer." Thus the name was most likely originally born by someone whose occupation was that of a dancer or entertainer.

Early Origins of the Saylors family

The surname Saylors was first found in Yorkshire where Herbert le Sayllur was on record in "Early Yorkshire Charters" dating from 1191 to 1210. "The surname is very rare indeed. This is not a little singular, considering the commonness of the employment. In the Hundredorum Rolls we have it in the forms of Le Sailliur, Le Saylliur, and Le Saler." 1

Early History of the Saylors family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Saylors research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1275, 1327 and 1790 are included under the topic Early Saylors History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Saylors Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Saylor, Sayler, Saylur, Sailor, Sailer and others.

Early Notables of the Saylors family

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

Saylors Ranking

the United States, the name Saylors is the 14,769^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Saylors family to Ireland

Some of the Saylors family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Saylors migration to the United States +

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Saylors name or one of its variants:

Saylors Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jane Saylors, aged 33, Irish settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Sharon" in 1845

Contemporary Notables of the name Saylors (post 1700) +

A. M. Saylors, American Alaska state legislature for Anchorage 1973-1974

The Saylors 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: Who most has served is greatest

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/