Weir Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Weir Family History

Weir Family History

The ancient origin of the name Weir was found in the irishsurnames.com archives.

Surnames developed a wide number of variants over the centuries. Many different spelling variations of the same name can be traced back to a single original root. Also, when a bearer of a name emigrated from Ireland it was not uncommon that their original name would be incorrectly transcribed in the record books upon arrival at their new location. Some names have dozens of spelling variations. Some Surnames were also altered over the years based on how they sounded phonetically, by their sound, and depending on the prevailing political conditions it may have been advantageous to change a name from one language to another. This was especially so in Ireland where most Gaelic names were 'anglicized' at some stage.

Variants of the name Weir include Wears, Wier, Ware, Wyer, Wear and Weare. Meaning 'a dam' this is a locational name of Norman origin from one or other of the places named 'Vere' in Calvados, Manche, Eure-et-Loire, and Oise. It was introduced to Normandy by the Norsemen. The first recorded of the name in Scotland was Radulphus de Ver, who was taken prisoner at Alnwick along with William the Lion. The Weirs of Blackwood, Lanarkshire, claim their descent from this man and obtained their lands in the year 1400. In Ireland these names are usually derived from the Mac an Mhaoir Sept of County Armagh who first anglicized their name as MacMoyer. This name is taken from the Gaelic word 'maor' meaning 'steward'. The Mac Giolla Uidhir Sept of County Armagh also sometimes anglicized their name as Weir as well as MacClure and MacGillaweer. Weir and its many variants were also introduced into Ulster Province by settlers from England and Scotland, especially during the seventeenth century.The Weir family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Weir descendants.