Gewer

This very interesting surname has no hebrew influences at all, nor is it in anyway job descriptive. It derives either from the Olde English pre 7th century 'Hor' meaning 'a Lord' or 'chief' or more likely is a derivation from the Norse Viking 'Ivarr' which translates as 'hard army'. This type of compound baptismal name was very popular amongst the people of the 'dark ages' being reminiscent of the warriors tough life, and it is one of a group which have pre-Norman 1066 origins, but which were equally popular with the invaders of the time. Today it is difficult, if not impossible, to decide the origin, except to say that modern name holders who come from Wales are probably of Old Engish origins, and from anywhere else, - Viking! The earliest recording of the surname is found in Sussex in the 13th century (see below), whilst three centuries later we have the developed form of Samuell Jure, a witness at the famous church of St Dunstans in the East, Stepney, on December 11th 1597. Other examples are George Juers, at St Margarets Church, Westminster on December 1st 1601, and Elizabeth Jewers, christened at St Dunstans Church, Stepney, on June 1st 1620. The name has many surname spelling forms which range from the (usually) Welsh 'Ivor' to Jewar (1618), Gewer (1627), Jowers (1697), etc. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Yuor, which was dated 1295, The Subsidy Rolls of the County of Sussex, during the reign of King Edward 1, known as 'The hammer of the Scots, 1272 - 1307. 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.