Gayler

This interesting surname with variant spellings Gaylor, Gailor, Jaibler, etc., is an occupational name for a jailer, gaoler, deriving from the Olde Norman French "gayolierre, gaiolere", old French "jaioleur". The surname dates back to the mid 13th Century, (see below). Further recordings include one Richard le Gaylor (1275), "the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire", and Richard le Gayoler of Newgate (1300), "the Calendar of the Early Mayor's Court Rolls, Cambridge". Parish church records of London include one John Gayler who married Elizabeth Donington on May 4th 1539 at St. Martin Pomeroy, London, Anna Gayler who married Gulielmus Rayner on October 7th 1582 at Littleton, London and Thomazin, daughter of Christopher Gailor who was christened on October 16th 1586 at St. Mary Abchurch, London. Margaret Gaylor aged 18 yrs., a famine emigrant sailed from London aboard the Hendrik-Hudson bound for New York on October 5th 1846. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert le Gaoler, which was dated 1255, in the "Assize Court Rolls of Essex", during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.