Origin of the Name Moyer
The origin of the name Moyer
was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. Variants of Moyer include Mawer and Mower. This is an occupational name meaning 'the mower', from a person who made his living cutting grass and hedges. This name is of English descent and is found in many ancient manuscripts in the above country. Examples of such are a Henricus Mawer, who was recorded in the 'Poll Tax', of the West Riding of Yorkshire, in 1379 and a Robertus Mawer, who was also recorded in the same year in this ancient document.
Names were recorded in these ancient documents to make it easier for their overlords to collect taxes and to keep records of the population at any given time. When the overlords acquired land by either force or gifts from their rulers, they created charters of ownership for themselves and their vassals. It was by creating, maintaining and updating these reference books that they were able to maintain their authority and enforce laws.
In Ireland the names Moyer and MacMoyer are sometimes anglicized forms of the Gaelic Mac An Mhaoir Sept name of County Armagh, which was more often changed to Weir and Weer.
The Moyer coat of arms came into existence centuries ago. The process of creating coats of arms (also often called family crests) began in the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this. The new art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own coat of arms, including all Moyer descendants.