Seers

This interesting name has a number of known origins, the first of which is from the medieval personal name 'Saher' or 'Seir', derived from the Norman name 'sigiheri' introduced into England after the Conquest of 1066, and meaning 'victory - army'. A second origin is from the medieval occupational name for a wood cutter, derived from the Middle English 'Saghier', and a third from Middle English 'say(en)'or 'seycen', to say, and a job - descriptive word for a professional reciter. A fourth origin is from the medieval occupation of assaying metals or tasting food, derived from the Old French 'essay', trial or test, in Middle English 'assayer'. Seers is a patronymic form, meaning 'son of Sayer'. London church records include one John Seres who married Mary Nicholls on January 15th 1581 at St. Gregory by St. Paul, and Mary, daughter of John Seers, who was christened on February 5th 1654 at St. Olave, Southwark. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard le Saer, witness, which was dated 1204, The Assize Rolls of Yorkshire, 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.