Villier History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

Etymology of Villier

What does the name Villier mean?

Villier was originally a name given to a person that planted, or primarily worked with, a plant called "vrilles", or in English, "tendril" 1.

Early Origins of the Villier family

The surname Villier was first found in Normandy (French: Normandie), the former Duchy of Normandy, where this noted family has been traced from ancient times.

Several members contributed greatly to the arts and literature of France. Pierre de Villiers (1648-1728) was a preacher and a poet whose most famous project "L'art de prêcher" was published in 1682. Cosme de Villiers (1683-1758), a friar, was a noted scholar. Pierre Villiers (1760-1849) was a dramatic author.

The family grew and branched to other regions in France, where a good number of Lords came from families through marriage.

Early History of the Villier family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Villier research. Another 35 words (2 lines of text) covering the year 1146 is included under the topic Early Villier History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Villier Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Villiers, Villier, Viliers, Vilier, Viliais, Villiais, Villiez, Viliez, Villié, Vilié, Villiée, Viliée and many more.

Early Notables of the Villier family

Pierre de Villiers, preacher, poet

Migration of the Villier family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: M.C. Villiers, at age 70; settled in New Orleans with his son, aged 25; in 1823; A. Villiers settled in New Orleans in 1822.

The Villier 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: La main a l'oeuvre
Motto Translation: The hand work

Sources +

Dionne, N.-E., Origine Des Familles Canadiennes-Français. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1969. Print.