A French Heraldic surname from lyon, which is of very old lineage and derives from the medieval 'Escuyer' - a word meaning shield bearer or squire. The name first appears in England shortly after the time of The Norman Conquest in 1066, and by the late 13th Century had reached its modern form of Squire or Squier. This suggests that the name as 'Escudier' may be of recent entry to England with possible Huguenot or Napoleonic -French Revolution overtones, although this does not effect the origin and meaning. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Alword Se Scuir. which was dated 1100, The English Names Register of Devon. during the reign of King William II, Nickname Rufus, 1100 - 1135. 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.

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