ENGLISH: A variant of GEARY.
NORTH GERMAN: From a personal name derived from GER, GAR, 'Spear.'
DUTCH: Reduced form of VAN den GEER, a topographical name from GEER, 'headland.'
For several hundred years Battle Abbey, Manor and estates in Sussex, have been owned by the Webster family. Between 1745 and 1839 a Thomas Geer leased or rented a property on the estate called 'Blackboy.' The estates at that time were owned by Sir Godfrey Webster, son of Thomas Webster. Sir Thomas owned properties and businesses up and down the country and some of these business premises were in Woolwich, (Gallions, which was still a bookshop I used in the 50's and 60's.) Also properties in Bishopsgate Street; East Cheap; St. Giles in the Fields; St. James Street; Jermyn Street and in Stepney. In 1847 a Thomas Geer shows up at Portugal St. Lincolns Inn, London as a bookbinder, and a Richard Longley, gunmaker, in Commercial Rd, East london.. During this period the estates are run by Sir Godfrey Webster but financial problems cause him to start selling off properties. It may be that Sir Godfrey invited them to move and work for him in London or perhaps they were forced to by other circumstances.
Longley owned property on the Battle estates and married SARAH GEER, daughter of Thomas. About this time period, early 1800's Sir Godfrey Webster put himself forward for election as the local Tory member of Parliament, aided by a Henry Blackman whos sister or other relative, Mary Blackman, married Joseph Geer (J4). One of their issue was named Henry Blackman Geer, K3. (Thus, solving one query I had in my own line.) Henry's grandson Joseph, M1, moved to Woolwich.
The Celtic Connection
Mac Girr. Mac Geer. Mac an Ghirr. Gearr. Giorr.
By kind permission of an Gael1, manager of CelticOrigins: http://groups.msn.com/CelticOrigins/irishtopics.msnw?
The name GEER has a seperate origin than MacGirr. However, Gear and Geer have been used as an anglicization of the name derived from Mac an Ghirr, the origins of which are somewhat obscure as it appears in both Scotland and Ireland. According to 'The Surnames of Ireland' by MacLysaght, the name MacGirr is found in the counties of Armagh and Tyrone in the province of Ulster. The name is sometimes translated to Short as the word gearr (earlier Giorr) means 'short or low sized man.'
In 'The Surnames of Scotland' Black gives the origin as Mac an gheairr, meaning son of short man. And according to Woulfe in 'Slionnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames,' the family is supposed to be of Scottish origin but is, more probably, an offshoot of some native family. By 'native' he means Irish.
MacLysaght says in 'More Irish Families' the name appeared in Armagh with sufficient frequency in the census of 1659 to be considered as a principal Irish name. The name also occurs in the Hearth Money Rolls of 1664. The name appears in Ulster and was recorded in 1602 as MacEghir, although MacLysaght does not give the source.
In summary there seems to be no connection at least in regard to the origin between MacGirr and the English name Geer although the latter has been used as an anglicization of MacGirr. Although the name is reported as Scottish it could very well be of Irish origin as there has always been contact between N.E.Ireland, the Islands and the Highlands.
Another variant to consider is GERE which is of Scottish origins. Also there is another variant in the Shetland Islands that takes GAIR as its major variant, but also uses GEAR. As with MacGhirr it takes its meaning from gearre meaning 'short.'
(Ed's note: To be flippant, are we related to the 'little people?')
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When communicating with a contact about the Celts and Geer origins, I was reminded that the Phoenicians were master sailors and may well have reached Britain. One day the pieces will fall in to place and we'll know who we are. Oh no! Please don't suggest we're one of the lost tribes of Israel.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quip from Keith Duffield: 'Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your Geers!'