Myers

This interesting name is of early medieval English origin, and is one of the patronymic forms of the surname "Mayer", found as Mayers, Myers, Meyers and Miers, the "s" being an abbreviated form of "son of Mayer". The surname is an occupational or "status" name for a mayor, derived from the Middle English and Old French term "mair, maire", from the Latin "maior", greater, superior. In France, and in Scotland, where the surname is usually found as "Mair", the title denoted various minor local officials, while in England the term was normally used only of the chief officer of a borough. The surname may have been given therefore to a citizen of some standing who had held this office, and also perhaps as a nickname to an officious or pompous person. The recordings include the following examples: Trynian Myars who married Ellyin Wright at the Church of St. Martin and St. Gregory, York in 1605, whilst on September 21st 1610, Mathew, the son of Trenyon Myers (same person different spelling) was christened at St. Johns Church, Ousebridge, near York. At various times in his life Trenyon is recorded as Trinian and Trynian and as Myers, Myars, Miares and Myeres. He must have been very confused. Other recordings include Alice Maiess christened in London in 1598, whilst the marriage of Thomas Myers and Anne Parkinsonne was recorded at St. Nicholas Cole Abbey, London, on June 29th 1609. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Herewardus le Mire, which was dated 1212, The Berkshire Curia Rolls, during the reign of King John, known as "Lackland", 1199 - 1216. 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.