Teer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The west coast of Scotland and the rocky Hebrides islands are the ancient home of the Teer family. The root of their name is the Gaelic form Mac-an-Tsaoir, which denotes son of the carpenter or wright.

Early Origins of the Teer family

The surname Teer was first found in on the Isle of Iona, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Teer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Teer research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1372, 1564 and 1564 are included under the topic Early Teer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Teer Spelling Variations

Spelling variations were extremely common in medieval names, since scribes from that era recorded names according to sound rather than a standard set of rules. Teer has appeared in various documents spelled MacAteer, MacTear, MacTeir, MacTire, MacAtee, MacAtter, MacAttur and many more.

Early Notables of the Teer family (pre 1700)

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

Teer Ranking

In the United States, the name Teer is the 15,972^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. ^[1]

Migration of the Teer family to Ireland

Some of the Teer family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Teer migration to the United States +

Ancestors of many of the Dalriadan families who crossed the Atlantic still live along the east coast of the United States and Canada. Some Scottish settlers arrived in Canada during the American War of Independence as United Empire Loyalists, while others stayed south to fight for a new nation. The descendants of Scottish settlers in both countries began to rediscover their heritage in the 19th and 20th centuries through Clan societies and highland games. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Teer or a variant listed above:

Teer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

I. W. Teer, aged 18, who landed in America, in 1896

Teer Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

James Teer, aged 44, who immigrated to America from Belfast, Ireland, in 1904
Mary Teer, aged 24, who immigrated to the United States from Belfast, Ireland, in 1907
John Henry Teer, aged 53, who landed in America from Liverpool, England, in 1908
Antonio Teer, aged 27, who immigrated to the United States, in 1922

Contemporary Notables of the name Teer (post 1700) +

Barbara Ann Teer (1937-2008), American writer, producer, teacher and actor
Kees Teer (1925-2021), Dutch electrical engineer and director of the Philips Natuurkundig Laboratorium from 1968 until 1985
James Teer (1826-1887), British-born, New Zealand goldminer, mariner and castaway

Historic Events for the Teer family +

USS Arizona

Mr. Allen Ray Teer, American Electrician's Mate First Class from California, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking ^[2]

The Teer 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: Per ardua
Motto Translation: Through difficulties.

Citations +

^ https://namecensus.com/most_common_surnames.htm
^ Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html