Surname Sayers - Meaning and Origin

The Unfolding of Sayers: A DNA Odyssey Towards Personal Identity & Global Heritage

My iGENEA DNA test results ushered in a deeper understanding of my personal identity and heritage, revolutionizing my perception of my surname, Sayers. The dynamics between the fluidity of DNA and the constancy of a surname further unravelled the many layers contained within me, branching beyond a singular narrative to a complex web of global histories.

M. Sayers

Sayers: What does the surname Sayers mean?

The last name Sayers is of English origin and is derived from the Middle English term "saiere," which means to say or tell. It was originally an occupational surname given to someone who acted as a reciter, a rehearser, or a storyteller such as a minstrel. It was also sometimes given to those who worked in a legal profession, specifically those who practiced the oral aspects of the law such as advocacy or the giving of legal advice. Therefore, the name often indicated someone who was a spokesperson for a community or a town crier. While the exact origins of the Sayers surname may vary between families, its roots are generally accepted to trace back to the medieval period in England. Today, there are many variants of the surname, including Sayres, Sayer, Saires, and Sayers, among others. The surname Sayers represents a person’s profession or position in ancient times, thus pointing to a strong tradition of oral communication in the family line.

Sayers: Where does the name Sayers come from?

The last name Sayers is commonly found in the United Kingdom today. Statistics from the Office of National Statistics show that in 2019 the Sayers last name was the 2,166th most common name in England, with 277 people having the surname. It was the 1,900th most common name in Wales, with 139 people having the surname. It was the 5,374th most common name in Scotland, with 39 people having the surname. It was the 3,122nd most common name in Northern Ireland, with 16 people having the surname.

Sayers has its roots in the Anglo-Saxon culture of the United Kingdom. It was derived from the occupational name of a “Sagier” (aka Sawyer) - someone who cut lumber and was responsible for creating a lathe or sawhorse.

Today, the Sayers name is still found in England and in some parts of the United Kingdom, such as Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In the United States, immigrating families from the United Kingdom are credited for bringing the Sayers name to the American shore. It is largely concentrated in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania and found in small numbers in other states as well.

The Sayers name can also be found in other countries. Many families from the United Kingdom have traveled to countries around the world and scattered the name in different locations. The Sayers name has a noted presence in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, and elsewhere.

Overall, the last name of Sayers is common in today’s Britain and scattered throughout the world.

Variations of the surname Sayers

The surname Sayers is of English origin and is derived from the Old French personal name Saher, which was Latinized as Sagramore or Sagramorus. The earliest documented use of the spelling, Sayers, was in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, in 1266.

Variants of the name Sayers include Sawyers, Soarers, Seers, Seyres, and Sayres. Alternate spellings of Sayers include Sayers, Saers, Sayres, Sayors, Sayrous, Seyres, Seyrous, Sairus, Seirce, Seerce, Seyrs, Seyrsus, already established in England by 1280, and Sayers, Saers, Sayres, Sayrs, Sayrus and Seyrsus, found in Elizabethan England in the 1600s.

The surname Sayers also has many variants from other parts of the world, for example: Soner from Turkey, Zeer from Russia, Cayer from the Caribbean Islands, Saïar from Bulgaria and the Caribbean Islands, Cayr from the Netherlands, Saïri from Finland and Syria, and Ceyer from the Netherlands.

Surnames of the same origin include Sawyers, Saers, Sayers, Sayres, Seyers, Seirce, Seerce, Seyres, Sayrous, Sairus, Seyrsus, Soner, Zeer, Cayer, Saïar, Cayr, Saïri, and Ceyer.

Famous people with the name Sayers

• Dorothy Sayers– an English crime writer, best known for her series of detective novels featuring the aristocratic sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey.
• Ray Sayers: an Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
• G. K. Chesterton: a prolific English essayist, poet, dramatist, novelist, biographer and Christian apologist best known for his Father Brown detective stories.
• Will Sayers: a professional basketball player who last played for the Ole Miss Rebels of the Southeastern Conference.
• Paul Sayers– a former professional footballer who played in the Football League for York City and Hull City.
• Lamar Sayers: an American professional boxer and heavyweight champion who held the titles of World Colored Heavyweight Champion from 1909 to 1913.
• Harry Sayers: a British international swimmer who competed in the 1912 Olympics.
• Herb Sayers: an American racecar driver who competed in the USAC and CART Championship Car series.
• C. V. Sayers– an English cricket player who represented Surrey County Cricket Club and played in 18 first-class matches.
• Estelle Sayers: a British actress who appeared in fourteen films between 1932 and 1951.

Other surnames

Sayer