Vier History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

The distinguished surname Vier can be traced back to the ancient and beautiful region of Venice. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves as populations grew and travel became more frequent. The process of adopting fixed hereditary surnames was not complete until the modern era, but the use of hereditary family names in Italy began in the 10th and 11th centuries. Italian hereditary surnames were developed according to fairly general principles and they were characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. The most common type of family name found in the region of Venice is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name. During the Middle Ages, Italians adopted the patronymic system of name-making because it perfectly complemented the prevailing Feudal System. In Italy the popularity of patronymic type of surname is also due to the fact that during the Christian era, people often named their children after saints and biblical figures. The surname Vier came from the given name Olivero, which is further derived from the Latin words olivarius and olivo, which mean olive.

Early Origins of the Vier family

The surname Vier was first found in Bolgna (Latin: Bononia), the largest city and the capital of Emilia-Romagna Region. From the Vier lineage in this city came many prominent individuals, such as an Oliviero, documented as Cardinal of S.R. Chiesa in 1436.

Early History of the Vier family

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

Vier Spelling Variations

In comparison with other European surnames, Italian surnames have a surprising number of forms. They reflect the regional variations and the many dialects of the Italian language, each with its own distinctive features. For example, in Northern Italy the typical Italian surname suffix is "i", whereas in Southern Italy it is "o". Additionally, spelling changes frequently occurred because medieval scribes and church officials often spelled names as they sounded rather than according to any specific spelling rules. The spelling variations in the name Vier include Olivieri, Oliviero, Olivier, Oliveri, Olivero, Oliverio, Oliver, Ulivieri, Livieri, Liviero, Liverani, Vieri, Viero, Vier, Vierin and many more.

Early Notables of the Vier family (pre 1700)

Prominent among members of the family was Alessandro Oliverio, (1500-1544), born in Bergamo, a famous painter and follower of Palma Vecchio. Pietro Oliveri was President of the Court in Palermo in 1675; Michele Oliveri was the first Duke of Aquaviva, and held the position in 1686; the Oliveri family from Messina was officially...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Vier Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Vier migration to the United States +

Discovered in the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Vier:

Vier Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Heinrich Vier, who landed in Brazil in 1845 [1]
J Heinrich Vier, who arrived in North America in 1854 [1]
Johann Heinrich Vier, who arrived in North America in 1854 [1]
Peter Vier, aged 18, who landed in Brazil in 1886 [1]
Jakob Vier, aged 24, who landed in Brazil in 1886 [1]

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)