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Origins of

the Surname

Variations of

the Surname

Armorial Bearings,

 Symbols and Mottoes

Locations of

the Surname

Internet Resources

Our Family History

Origins of the Surname

An Introduction

to the Surname

Source/Meaning

of the Surname

History of

the Surname

More About

Surnames

An Introduction to the Surname

The practice of inherited family surnames began in England and France during the late part of the 11^th century.   Surnames were first utilized in the Germanic region of central Europe during the second half of the 12th century.  The custom of taking on surnames began in the southern areas of Germany, and gradually spread northward during the Middle Ages.  It took about three hundred years for this tradition to apply to most families and become a constant part of one’s identity.        With the passing of generations and the movement of families from place to place many of the original identifying names were altered into some of the versions that we are familiar with today.  Over the centuries, most of our European ancestors accepted their surname as an unchangeable part of their lives.  Thus people rarely changed their surname.  Variations of most surnames were usually the result of an involuntary act such as when a government official wrote a name phonetically or made an error in transcription. 

Map of European Languages

Research into the record of this SEILER, SILAR, SILER family line indicates that the variations, meanings and history of this surname are most likely linked to that area of Europe where French, German linguistic traditions are commonly found. 

Sources and Meanings of the Surname

GERMANIC  NAMES

Most modern Germanic family names are a means conveying lineage.  For the most part, German surnames were developed from four major sources: (1) Patronymic & Matronymic surnames most common in northern Germany are based on a parent’s first name, such as Niklas Albrecht (Niklas son of Albrecht);  (2) occupational surnames are last names based on the person’s job or trade for example Lukas Fischer (Lukas the Fisherman);  (3) descriptive surnames are based on a unique quality or physical feature of the individual like Karl Braun (Karl with brown hair); (4) geographical surnames are derived from the location of the homestead from which the first bearer and his family lived such as Leon Meer (Leon from by the sea), or derived from the state, region, or   village of the first bearer's origin for example Paul Cullen (Paul from Koeln/Cologne).

The Silar and Siler surnames are an Americanized spelling of German name Seiler.  Other prominent varients of this name are Sieler and Siller.  The Seiler surname appears to have originated from two occupational sources.   Firstly, it is the name for a harness maker, coming from an agent derivative of the Middle High German word ‘sil’ meaning a harness for draught animals.  Secondly, a Seiler is a ropemaker as derived from the German word 'Seil' meaning rope.   Men of this trade are also known to have been engaged in the trade of making sails for ships which seems to have led to other varian spellings of the name such a Saylor, Seyler, and Sailer.

     There is also an English surname of Seiler.  This name is an occupational name for a dancer or acrobat.  The name was derived from the Old French word Sailleor, and rendered in medieval documents in the Latin form Salitor.  The name also found in the variant spellings Saillier and Saillant. The name is now rare in England, although found frequently in the United States of America.

History of the Surname

GERMANIC NAMES

Most German names have their roots in the Germanic Middle Ages.  The process of forming family names in what is present day Germany began during Middle High German period in the history of the German language from the early 12^th Century to the 16^th century.   The nobility and wealthy land owners were the first to begin using surnames.  Merchants and townspeople then adopted the custom, as did the rural population.  This process took two or three centuries.  In most of the Germanic States of the Holy Roman Empire, the practice of using surnames was well established by the 1500s.

EARLY HISTORY OF THE SURNAME

     Seiler is a very old Germanic name and is one of the early names recorded in that region of Europe.   Due to its popularity and duration this name, and its variant spellings, have traveled widely in many forms throughout the continent.       Seiler is first found in the locality of Basel,  Switzerland, where the name came from humble beginnings but gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society.   The area of Basel is located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet in northwest Switzerland on the river Rhine.  Culturally this region extends into German Baden-Württemberg and French Alsace.  The earliest recordings of the surname or a close variant is that of Jakob der Seiler of Freiburg in the year 1291, and a Martin Seilmann of Ihringen in 1531.  Both of these places are located in southwestern Baden-Württemberg, Germany well within the aforementioned “Basel cultural region.”

HISTORY OF THE SILAR SURNAME IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND TEXAS, USA

     The origin of Silar in Bohemia  is unclear at best.  One theory is this family was originally German.   It is certain that no form of the name sounds very Czech.   Before the 17th century, the spelling of surnames were not stable in this part of Central Europe.  Likewise the Silar name from eastern part of Bohemia was changing as well.  Because many of the people were illiterate the spelling of the surname usually depended upon the parish administrator.  If he was a Czech, German, Polish or even Hungarian he wrote it according to the spelling "rules" of his language or dialect.

     It is interesting, that seemingly all occurrences of the Silar surname in the current Czech Republic are descendants of Silar from eastern Bohemia, specifically the neighboring villages of Horní Čermná and Dolní Čermná.  Apparently the original community stretched along a rural road for a considerable distance.  Sometime during the 20^th century it was split according to upper and lower parts into the aforementioned villages.    This locale near the town of Lanškroun is said to be the place where the Silar surname was first found in the early 17^th Century.   During the Protestant Reformation many Silars and other families from the village were mostly Czech Protestants, unlike most of their Catholic neighbors.   As such they fled to Prussia and especially to nearby Silesia due to the religious oppression taking place at this time in history.

  Although it was difficult for them to leave their homeland to venture into an uncertain future some of these Silars migrated from Bohemia to the United States during the 19^th century.     Over the years they have kept up a regular correspondence with their remote relatives settled in Texas during the 1850’s.    These Texas Silars also came from Cermna and neighboring villages in eastern Bohemia.     According to a letter written by the first emigrants their journey to the United States was a harrowing experience.  Apparently they were swindled by the ship owners from Hamburg, and spent the long voyage crossing the Atlantic Ocean almost without food resulting in the deaths of almost half of the group.  This correspondence as well as family visits back to the “old country” has allowed family records from the era of the American Civil War and later periods to be included into the genealogy of this unique surname.

     Much of the research, that we know of, into the Silar surname in the historical region of Bohemia began during the 1970’s and 80’s.  It was only after the Velvet Revolution in 1989 that genealogy became a wide-spread hobby in this area of central Europe.  Because the Silars of the current Czech Republic initiated their research at a fairly early time they have accumulated a deep and detailed ancestral tree. 

More information about this family may be obtained from Michal Dolecek at [email protected]

VARIANT SPELLINGS AS A RESULT OF MIGRATION FROM EUROPE TO AMERICA

     This Germanic surname appeared quite early into the former British colonies of North America, especially William Penn’s Province of Pennsylvania.  One reason for this was that after the prince of the Electorate of Hanover, in Germany also became king of England in 1715, as a result German emigration to America was greatly encouraged from that time on to about 1777.  A resulting factor of this great migration is that the Seiler German name tends to be confused with the English versions due to the fact that the name from both countries is often in the same or similar spelling, which is perhaps not surprising as they share pre 7th century "Anglo-Saxon" roots.   Many of these German immigrants, particularly those with easy English equivalents, were encouraged and in some cases required to change to an English spelling.  Many persons with the Seiler surname changed the spelling to the English Sailor or Saylor which has the same sound when pronounced in English.  Also many German surnames were re-spelled in America because of the close relationship between the English and German languages.     This was the case with many sea captains or their agents who, when making up the ships passenger lists, found it easier to use a more familiar English spelling.   As the general level of education in America increased after the American Civil War many formerly illiterate immigrants and their descendents began to standardize the spelling of their surname. This is the basis for the emergence of the variant spelling of Silar* as found in York County, Pennsylvania.   Also after the start of World War One, Germans in the United States, in great numbers, Anglicized their names in an effort to remove all doubt as to their patriotism. 

* According to the 1920 census the majority of families using the Silar surname were primarily located in Pennsylvania, and Texas.  It is most probable that these are two distinctly different families.   The Texas Silar family may have originated in what is now the Czech Republic and may have brought the surname with them from Europe where as the Pennsylvania family is a variant of the Seiler surname.  The earliest documentation that this researcher could find regarding what would become the Silar surname of today is in the 1820 United States Census where the surname, of this family’s progenitor in America, Johann Frederick Seiler, appears to be spelled as “Sellers” or “Seilers”.  In the 1830 Census the spelling is “Syler”.  The “Seiler” spelling is found for both Frederick and his son George W. Sr. in the 1831 Tax records of York County.  In the 1840 census both Frederick and George are listed as “Siler”, and in 1850 as “Seiler”.  It should be noted here that John Frederick Seiler and his wife Catharine may have had at least four sons to carry on the surname.  Two if these sons have been identified as George W., born c.1809, and Henry, born c.1814 both of whom were blacksmiths like their father.   In the four census documents from 1850 to 1880 Henry is listed as either “Siler” or “Syler”. It appears that Henry’s descendents spell their surname as Siler.  In the 1860 census both George W. and his mother Catharine are listed as “Saylor”.       It is not until the 1870 census that we see the use of “Silar” by George W. Silar, Sr..  In later census documents there only rare instances where an alternative spelling is utilized and it is usually “Siler”.  Research shows that the Silar spelling is used almost exclusively by the male descendents of George W. Sr. and his sons: George, Jr.; Franklin, and William Henry.  It does not appear that any of the other descendents of Frederick Seiler chose to use the Silar surname.

Some Notable Persons or Places Having This Surname

Some of the best known bearers of the SEILER, SILAR, SILER name or its close variants are: Brandon Siler, American football linebacker; Eugene Siler, American politician; Howard Siler, American bobsledder; Joseph Franklin Siler, U.S. Army physician and dengue researcher; Lester Eugene Siler, convicted drug dealer; Owen W. Siler, admiral in the United States Coast Guard; Ronald Siler, American amateur boxer; Todd Siler, American visual artist, author, educator and inventor; Lewis Seiler (1890–1964), American film director; Paul Seiler (1945–2001), American football player; Reinhard Seiler (1909–1989), German Luftwaffe pilot; Robert Eldridge Seiler (born 1912), American judge on the Missouri Supreme Court; Sebastian Seiler (1810–1890), German journalist.

More About Surname Meanings & Origins

GERMAN SURNAMES

Many German names have their roots in the Germanic Middle Ages. The process of forming family names began early in the 12^th Century and extended through the 16^th century. All social classes and demographic strata aided in the development of names. First Names (Rufnamen) identified specific persons. Over time the first name began to be applied to the bearer's whole family.  At first through verbal usage, family names (Familiennamen) were later fixed through writing.  Until the 17th century, first names played a more important role. The earliest family names derived from the first name of the first bearer (Patronym). Later names derived from the place of dwelling and location of the homestead.  If a person of family migrated from one place to another they were identified by the place they came from.  Of more recent origin are names derived from the vocation of profession of the first bearer. These names comprise the largest group and the most easily recognizable, for they tell what the first bearer did for a living.  Another group are names derived from a physical or other characteristic of the first bearer.  Finally, there are names that tell you the state or region a first bearer and his family came from; the age old division in tribes and regions (Low German, Middle German and Upper German) is often reflected in names.

Use this LINK to find the ethnic origin and meaning of last

names. Surname dictionary and

genealogy helps include names of Irish, German, English, French, Italian, and Jewish descent.

Variations of the Surname

Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to unfold and expand often leading to an overwhelming number of variants.  As such one can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames because in early times, spelling in general and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized*.  Later on spellings would change with the branching and movement of families. The complexity of researching records is compounded by the fact that in many cases an ancestors surname may have been misspelled.  This is especially true when searching census documents.  Spelling variations of this family name include: Siler, Seiler, Silar, Sieler, Sylere, Seyler, Seiller, Sieller, Seyller, Du Seiller and many more, (as noted below). 

*This phenomenon of many spellings was partly created because the Pennsylvania Germans tended to pronounce “ei” as the English “a”.   In the 1800's most of the census takers, court clerks, etc. were likely those persons in the community with English roots. To them the German name Seiler must have sounded very much like the word “sailor”. As a result several English variants of the surname such as Saylor, Sailor, Sayler, were established and became common-place.  One must realize that many of our German fore-bearers lacked the skills required to effectively negotiate in the English language and were unable to correct a clerk or census taker.  Once a legal record was established the family just continued to use them spelling in future generations.  To further illustrate this fact the surnames of Seiler, Siler, Saylor, Sailor are all found in the 1850 census of York County, Pennsylvania.

Spelling variations of this family name may be ascertained through the utilization of several systems developed over the years.  The most prominently known are Soundex, Metaphone, and the NameX systems.  Of the three we recommend NameX as the most accurate for family historians.

Click on the button to find the variants of this or any other surname by utilizing The Name Thesaurus a ground-breaking technology for finding Surname and Forename variants.

This useful genealogy research tool has identified 385 million variants for 5,929,000 Surnames and 26 million variants for 1,246,000 Forenames, as well as gender identification for more than 220,000 Forenames.

NameX matched 501 spelling variations of the SEILER surname. The top 22 are:

Metaphone is a phonetic algorithm, first published in 1990, for indexing words by their English pronunciation.  It fundamentally improves on the Soundex algorithm by using information about variations and inconsistencies in English spelling and pronunciation to produce a more accurate encoding. Later a new version of the algorithm named Double Metaphone was created to take into account spelling peculiarities of a number of other languages. In 2009 a third version, called Metaphone 3, achieves an accuracy of approximately 99% for English words, non-English words familiar to Americans, and first names and family names commonly found in the U.S.  The Metaphone Code for SEILER is SLR.  There are 934 other surnames sharing this code.

The Soundex System was developed in an effort to assist with identifying spelling variations for a given surname. Soundex is a method of indexing names in the 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 US Census, and can aid genealogists in their research.  The Soundex Code for SEILER is S460.  There are 1801 other surnames sharing this Code. 

If The Name Thesaurus doesn’t adequately address the name you are looking for check out the following link:

Top 10 Tips for Finding Alternative Surname Spellings & Variations

Searching for more Information about this and other surnames?

Use LINK button to view our Surname Locator & Resources page.

Locations of the Surname

Locational Distribution of this Surname

Historical Distribution of this Surname

Locational Distribution of This Surname

Knowing the geographical areas where the surname you are researching is clustered and distributed is an indispensable tool in deciding where to focus your research.  We believe that the “Public Profiler” website will open up to you a wide range of solutions which implement current research in spatial analysis.  This site provides an array of local spatial information tools useful to the genealogist. 

The information presented herein shows where the SEILER surname is distributed within North America* as well as in Europe* the location of origin for this surname.      Statistics show that the country were this surname is the most highly clustered is Switzerlandwith approximately 314.95 persons per million of population.  The density of population in the within the United States is 38.52 persons per million of population.  The top region in the World where this surname is the most highly clustered is Nordwestschweiz, Switzerland with 599.26 persons per million, and Munich, Bavaria, Germany is the top city where this surname is found.

North America

Europe

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* The heaviest concentration of the name is found in the north-central states of North and South Dakota.  In Germany almost 208 persons per million have the Seiler surname.    The most significant clustering of the name, in Germany, is found in the Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Thüringen, Saxony, and Brandenburg.     

The information presented herein shows where the SILAR surname is distributed within North America as well as in Europe the location of origin for this surname.      Statistics show that the country were this surname is the most highly clustered is Slovenia with approximately 95.7 persons per million of population.  The density of population in the within the United States* is 1.1 persons per million of population.  The top region in the World where this surname is the most highly clustered is Slovenia, Slovenia with 95.7 persons per million, and Kranj, Cerknica, Slovenia, is the top city where this surname is found.

North America

Europe

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* A review of the 1930 census identifies approximately 300 households with the Silar surname living in the United States. The surname is found in 32 states, of which Pennsylvania with 64 households is the largest.  This is almost one-quarter (21.3%) of the total.  It is also interesting to note that of these 64 persons, 61 were identified as living in York County, Pennsylvania.  

The information presented herein shows where the SILER surname is distributed within North America as well as in Europe the location of origin for this surname.      Statistics show that the country were this surname is the most highly clustered is Slovenia with approximately 46.40 persons per million of population.  The density of population in the within the United States is 31.86 persons per million of population.  The top region in the World where this surname is the most highly clustered is Kentucky, United States with 103.76 persons per million, and Siler City, North Carolina, United States is the top city where this surname is found.

North America

Europe

Click on thumbnail for larger image

Click on the LINK to the right to see more information about the World distribution of a surname.  You can

get greater detail for any of the following maps by clicking on the area, i.e state, county that you are interested in.

·        Database of Surnames in the Netherlands

·        Database of Surnames in Belgium

·        Names Distribution in France

·        Map of the surname: Austria

·        Distribution of Surnames in Spain

·        Map of the Surname: Switzerland

·        Distribution of Surnames in Italy

Historical Distribution of this Surname

The main value in historical surname distribution databases and maps is that they enable genealogists to pinpoint the predominant location of a surname. This can quickly narrow down your search for a BDM certificate.  Knowing where to look is half the battle to finding ancestry records; if you can narrow down the search field it can save you a lot of time and trouble.  The core of historical surname distribution is that most people stayed within a fairly close locale.  Concentrations of surnames are clearly visible on Surname Distribution Maps, and name distribution tables (along with an atlas) make it quite likely that the origin of that name is from the area of its highest concentration.

The following “historical locations” for the SEILER and some of its close variant spellings have been extracted from Rietstap’s Armorial General.  Most of these locations are on the continent of Europe such as Germany, France, Switzerland, etc.   Riestap’s resource book was first published in the 1860’s and revised over the next two decades.  The information therein is relevant to that period as well as earlier times as far back as 1500.    (2) = the frequency with which this place occurs.

We recommend that you utilize our Tools for Finding Ancestral Locations.  If you have an elementary knowledge of heraldry you may wish to use this practice to trace your founding forefather.  For more information about this approach to seeking out your ancestral locations see our Using Heraldry as a Family History Research Tool.  

·        Great Britain Family Names - 1881 Census

·        England and Wales: 1891 Census

·        Scotland: 1891 Census

·        Distribution of surnames in Ireland in 1890

·        Family Name Distribution in Germany: 1942

·        Nom de famille en France: 1891-1915; 1916-40; 1941-65; 1966-90

·        United States: 1920

Armorial Bearings, Mottoes & Symbols

An Introduction to

 European Heraldry

Gallery of Images

Descriptions of the

Armorial Bearings

Motto(es) Associated

 With This Surname

Heraldry as a Family

History Research Tool

More About

Armorial Bearings

An Introduction To European Heraldry

The seeds of heraldic structure in personal identification can be detected in the account in a contemporary chronicle of Henry I of England, on the occasion of his knighting his son-in-law Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou, in 1127. He placed to hang around his neck a shield painted with golden lions. The funerary enamel of Geoffrey (died 1151), dressed in blue and gold and bearing his blue shield emblazoned with gold lions, is the first recorded depiction of a coat of arms.

       By the middle of the 12th century,  coats of arms were being inherited by the children of armigers (persons entitled to use a coat of arms) across Europe. Between 1135 and 1155, seals representing the generalized figure of the owner attest to the general adoption of heraldic devices in England, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy.  By the end of the century, heraldry appears as the sole device on seals.  In England, the practice of using marks of cadency arose to distinguish one son from another: the conventions became standardized in about 1500, and are traditionally supposed to have been devised by John Writhe.

     In the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, heraldry became a highly developed discipline, regulated by professional officers of arms. As its use in jousting became obsolete, coats of arms remained popular for visually identifying a person in other ways – impressed in sealing wax on documents, carved on family tombs, and flown as a banner on country homes. The first work of heraldic jurisprudence, De Insigniis et Armis, was written in the 1350s by Bartolus de Saxoferrato, a professor of law at the University of Padua.

    In the Germanic areas of Central Europe heraldry spread to the German burgher class in the 13th century, and even some peasants used arms in the 14th century.  A German coat of arms is usually referred to by any of the following terms; Wappen, Familienwappen, Blasonierung, Heraldik, or Wappenschablonen.

     In the British Isles the College of Arms, (founded in 1483), is the Royal corporation of heralds who record proved pedigrees and grant armorial bearings.  In Scottish heraldry, the Lord Lyon King of Arms in the Act of 1672 is empowered to grant arms to "vertuous [virtuous] and well deserving persons."

     Although heraldry in France and the lowlands of Belguim and Holland had a considerable history, like England, existing from the eleventh century, such formality has largely died out in these locations. The role of the herald (héraut) in France declined in the seventeenth century.  Many of the terms in international heraldry come from French.

Gallery of Images

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Descriptions of the Armorial Bearings

Heraldry symbols such as the colors, lines and shapes found on coats-of-arms are generally referred to as charges.  Although there is some debate over whether or not the charges have any universal symbolism many persons do believe they may represent an idea or skill of the person who originally had the armorial bearings created.  If this assumption has any validity charges may provide clues to early family history of that person.  The associated armorial bearings for this surname and close variant spellings are recorded in Burke’s General Armoire and Rietstap’s Armorial General.  The additional information, presented below, is offered with regard to the armorial bearings depicted above.

Mottoes of this Surname

British Isles

A motto is a word or sentence usually written upon a scroll and generally placed below the shield, but sometimes, especially in Scotland, above the crest.    Many ancient mottoes were war-cries such as the Douglas motto of “Forward.”    Many mottoes refer to the name of the bearer, for example “cole regem” for Coleridge.   In general most mottoes convey a sentiment, hope, or determination, such as the Cotter motto “Dum spiro spero” where the meaning is “While I have breath I hope“.     Mottoes are often used by several successive generations, but may be changed at any time by the grantee. The languages most in use are Latin, French, and English.  Exceptions are seen in Scotland where they are often in the old Lowland dialect, and in Wales, often in the language of the principality.   

Germany

It is unusual to find a motto associated with the coat-of-arms of a noble of the European continent especially a German family.  This does not necessarily mean that the Germanic culture is devoid of mottos.  For example, the national motto of Germany is “Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit”, meaning Unity and Justice and Freedom.  The German word for motto is “Wahlspruch.”   Some of the more well known German mottoes are as follows: Alte Wunden bluten leicht – Old wounds readily bleed anew;    Blut und Eisen – Blood and iron;  Das beste is gut genug – The best is good enough;  Ein’ feste Burg is unser Gott – Our God is a strong tower of defense;  Ewigkeit – Eternity;  Für Gott und Iht – All for God and her;  Gott is überall – God is over all;  Gott mit uns – God is with us;  Ich dien – I serve;  Krieg – War;  Mehr Licht! – More light!;  Nichts zoviel – Nothing in excess;  Prosit! – Good luck!;    Vaterland – Fatherland;  Vertrau’ auf Gott – Put your trust in God;  Vorwärts! – Forward!;        Zu dienen – At your service.

France

French phrases adopted as mottos, have a certain air of chivalry and perhaps a distinctly feudal sense of duty and allegiance. French mottos are more indicative of the warrior culture of the Middle Ages. Some of these phrases, however, are translations of better known Latin mottos, such as Toujours fidèle for Semper fidelis. Some of these phrases are often found in Old French spelling.  Examples of some well known French mottoes are as follows: Aimez loyaulté - Love loyalty;  Boutez en avant - Push forward;  C’est la seule vertu qui donne la noblesse - Virtue alone confers nobility;  Droit à chacun - To each his right;  En Dieu est ma foy - In God is my faith;  Foy pour devoir - Faith for duty;  Garde la foy - Keep the faith;  Inébranlable - Not to be shaken;  J’ai bonne cause - I have good reason;  Loyauté sans tache - Loyalty without defect;  Maintien le droit - Support the right;  Ni dessus, ni dessous - Neither above nor below;  Oublier ne puis - I cannot forget;  Parle bien ou parle rien - Speak well or say nothing;  Rien sans Dieu - Nothing without God;  Suivez raison - Follow reason;  Tachez surpasser en vertue - Strive to surpass in virtue;  Un Dieu, un roy, un foy - One God, one king, one faith;  Veilliez et ne craignez pas - Watch and fear not

Heraldry as a Family History Research Tool

Wondering whether you are descended of the nobility*?  Are you aware of an ancestor who held a prominent political position or had a title such as Sir, or Esquire?  If so you just might be descended from royalty.   If you are of European descent, you are probably a descendant of Charlemagne.  Once you are able to prove your line of descent from him, you will then find thousands of links to other royalty in your list of relatives.  It is rare indeed that the genealogy of a person of European descent, when traceable, doesn’t hit nobility somewhere.  And once it hits one European noble, whether you like it or not, hundreds of new names will become a part of your family.

*The nobility is a class of people who had special political and social status. Nobility is inherited or granted by the Crown as a reward to people who perform a heroic deed, achieve greatness in some endeavor, or hold a prominent government position.

    If you have an elementary knowledge of heraldry you may wish to use this practice to trace your founding forefather.  If you know the geographical place (country, county, city) where the family coat-of-arms was first identified, you may well search its history for the family name in question in order to find your direct ancestor.  Remember that most noble European family pedigrees have been thoroughly researched and published.   By putting together the family surname with the known location you may find a treasure trove of valuable information about your ancestors.  Upon pursing your research you should be aware of the possibility of variant spellings of the surname.  See Variations of the Surname for more information about variant spellings of the surname.

Many family historians who have not connected with a noble ancestor may just want to know what their family coat-of-arms looks like.  If this is the situation you must know that except for a few cases, there is really no such thing as a standard "coat of arms" for a surname.  A coat of arms is a design usually granted only to a single person not to an entire family or to a particular surname.  Coats of arms are inheritable property, and they generally descend to male lineal descendents of the original arms grantee.  As a result you are advised to seek out a coat-of-arms for the locale where your ancestor resided.

For example: we have an Arnold ancestor who is known to have emigrated to America from the town of Erlangen, in Bavaria, Germany.  Current research shows Erlangen is located in the area of Bavaria known as Middle Franconia.  Upon review of the historic locations for Arnold as noted in one source of armorial bearings we find places in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, The Netherlands and others.   One coat-of-arms is listed as belonging to an Arnold of Franconia, Bavaria.  As such we may conclude that this is the coat-of-arms having some relevance to our ancestor.  He may well be a blood relative of the aforementioned noble Arnold.   He or his ancestor may have been employed by or a serf of the noble Arnold family of that locale.  In some cases the name of the noble family becomes the name of the locale resulting in the ancestor appropriating it a as surname, see Sources and Meanings of the Surname to ascertain whether the surname you are interested in is a locational name.

If you are interested in the armorial bearings of a particular surname we strongly advise that you utilize the resources provided within this area of our web page.  If you have any questions or need any assistance with regard to using heraldry as a means to further or widen your family history research you are welcome to contact us, see About This Webpage.

More About Heraldic bearings

The art of designing, displaying, describing, and recording arms is called heraldry. The use of coats of arms by countries, states, provinces, towns and villages is called civic heraldry.   A Coat of Arms is defined as a group of emblems and figures (heraldic bearings) usually arranged on and around a shield and serving as the special insignia of some person, family, or institution.  Except for a few cases, there is really no such thing as a standard "coat of arms" for a surname.  A coat of arms, more properly called an armorial achievement, armorial bearings or often just arms for short, is a design usually granted only to a single person not to an entire family or to a particular surname.  Coats of arms are inheritable property, and they generally descend to male lineal descendents of the original arms grantee.  The rules and traditions regarding Coats of Arms vary from country to country. Therefore a Coat of Arms for an English family would differ from that of a German family even when the surname is the same. 

Some of the more prominent elements incorporated into a  coat of arms are :

Crest - The word crest is often mistakenly applied to a coat of arms.  The crest was a later development arising from the love of pageantry.  Initially the crest consisted of charges painted onto a ridge on top of the helmet.

Wreath or Torse – The torse is a twist of cloth or wreath underneath and part of a crest. Always shown as six twists, the first tincture being the tincture of the field, the second the tincture of the metal, and so on.

Mantling – The mantling is a drapery tied to the helmet above the shield. It forms a backdrop for the shield.

Helm or Helmet - The helmet or helm is situated above the shield and bears the torse and crest. The style of helmet displayed varies according to rank and social status, and these styles developed over time, in step with the development of actual military helmets.

Shield or Arms - The basis of all coats of arms.  At their simplest, arms consist of a shield with a plain field on which appears a geometrical shape or object.  The items appearing on the shield are known as charges.

Motto - The motto was originally a war cry, but later mottoes often expressed some worthy sentiment. It may appear at the top or bottom of a family coat of arms.

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Our Ancestral Lineage

Family History

Ancestral Lineage

Source Documents

Migrations of the

American Family

Ancestral Locations

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Family History

               Our Siler/Silar ancestors lived almost exclusively in that part of York County, Pennsylvania, which encompasses present day Lower Windsor Township.  It wasn’t until after the American Civil War that this family group began to consistently spell its surname as Silar.  Prior to 1870 census records show spellings such as Sieler, Saylor, and Siler.       For the most part the Silar family of York County worked in factories, some others made there living as boatmen on the Susquehanna River.  It is surprising how few of them were involved in farming, the prominent occupation of the 19^th century.   

      It is most probable that Johann Frederick Siler is the progenitor of this branch of the Silar Family in America.  Frederick was born in Prussia around 1786 and his wife Catherine was also born in Prussia about the same time.  Records show a Frederick Seller arriving at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1803.  It is not known where Frederick lived after he came to America.  Census records show that between 1807 and 1820 Frederick and his wife Catharine produced at least four sons and two daughters.  During some of this time      Frederick Siler and his family were probably living in Tulpehocken, Berks County, Pennsylvania.   It is known that by 1830 Frederick and his family were living in Windsor Township, York County, Pennsylvania. The names of Frederick and George Seyler begin to appear in the Windsor Twp. tax records in 1830.       Frederick was still living in Windsor Twp. in 1850 but died sometime prior to 1860.  Of his direct descendents, current information points to two sons George and Henry as well as one daughter Catherine.  Possible persons for the other two sons are: Jacob Saylor (b. ca. 1813) of Chanceford Twp., York County; Samuel Saylor (b. ca.1812) of York City; and  Benjamin (b. ca.1815) of Hopewell Twp., York County.

     Our ancestral lineage continued from the line of our 3^rd great-grandfather George W. Silar, Sr., born in 1809.  George was the eldest son of Frederick and Catherine Seiler. Like his father George was a blacksmith as were several of his sons and grandsons.  George married Magdalena Gilbert around 1830.  Between 1831 and 1847 George fathered a total of eight known children, (3 males and 5 females).  It appears that during his adult life lived in that area of York County that is now Lower Windsor Township.  He and Magdelena resided on Bull Run Road in Craley.  George was about 72 years old when he died in 1881.

     William Henry Silar, son of George W. Silar, Sr. was born in 1844.  He was usually called Henry, or by his nickname of “Patsy”.   Around 1867 he married Sarah Hayes, the daughter of William and Sarah Hayes, both natives of England.  After their marriage Henry and Sarah took residence in Long Level, a small neighborhood on the Susquehanna River only a few miles from Craley.       By 1870 Henry had found work as a boatman and relocated his family to the town of Wrightsville.  It is quite probable that during this time he worked with his brother-in-law Jacob Leithiser.     By 1880 Henry and his family were living in East Prospect section of Lower Windsor Township.  William Henry Silar passed away in 1915 at the age of 70 years.  He is buried with his wife in the Riverview Cemetery at East Prospect. 

     Our great-grandfather George J. Silar (1868-1942) and his wife Ida (Dellinger) Silar produced a family of thirteen son and daughters. Our line continues through their son Sherman R. Silar born in 1897.  George was originally a blacksmith like his forefathers.  Later in life he aided in the construction of the first trolley line from York to Red Lion, Pennsylvania.  He was also the construction supervisor of the York impounding dam.  Several of his sons fought in World War I.

    Sherman R. Silar, the fourth of thirteen children produced by George and Ida Silar, lived most of his early life in the city of York, Pennsylvania.        By 1917 Sherman had left his native York county and moved to Philadelphia, where he took work as a weaver. On June 26, 1917 Sherman enlisted into the Army and spent time with the American Expeditionary Force (A.E.F.) in France where he was twice wounded in battle. After the war he returned to Philadelphia and married   Florence Pfeffer.   A son Frederick George Siler was born to this union in 1924.    Around 1926 the family moved to Florence, New Jersey where Sherman took employment in the local pipe foundry.  During the following years, "Si" as he was known to his co-workers, worked his way up to become the head electrician at the foundry even though he had little formal education.   Around 1965 he and his wife sold the house in Florence and moved to Edgewater Park, NJ.  Sherman resided here until his death in February, 1969.    Sherman is buried next to his wife in Cedar Hill Cemetery located in Florence Township New Jersey. 

Ancestral Lineage

Additional information about the persons in our database  as   well  as   a   complete  listing   of

individuals with this surname may be reviewed by clicking on this LINK.

JOHN FREDERICK¹ SILER was born about 1784 in Germany (Prussia). He died in 1857 in Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He married Catharine Siler (Nee ?) about 1805 in Germany (Prussia)??. She was born about 1790 in Germany (Prussia). She died after 1860 in York County, Pennsylvania.

John Frederick Siler and Catharine Siler (Nee ?) had the following children:

           i.          GEORGE W.² SILAR SR. was born on 09 Oct 1809 in Pennsylvania, USA. He died on Oct 1881 in East Prospect Borough, Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., PA. He married Magdalena Gilbert, daughter of Andrew Gilbert Jr. and Anna Maria Ziegler ? on 01 Sep 1831 in Columbia, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She was born on Oct 1808 in Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 26 Feb 1890 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA.

              ii.               HENRY SILER was born about 1814 in Pennsylvania, USA. He died between 1880-1900 in Pennsylvania, USA. He married Mary E. Adkinson in 1843. She was born on 21 Nov 1818 in Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 13 Jun 1900 in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania.

         iii.          CATHARINE SILER was born about 1819 in Pennsylvania, USA. She died after 1880 in York County, Pennsylvania. She married JOHN KISE. He was born about 1813 in Pennsylvania, USA.

GEORGE W.² SILAR SR. (John Frederick¹ Siler) was born on 09 Oct 1809 in Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 05 Oct 1881 in East Prospect Borough, Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., PA. He married Magdalena Gilbert, daughter of Andrew Gilbert Jr. and Anna Maria Ziegler ? on 01 Sep 1831 in Columbia, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She was born on 24 Oct 1808 in Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 26 Feb 1890 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA.

George W. Silar Sr. and Magdalena Gilbert had the following children:

i.            GEORGE W.³ SILAR JR. was born in Sep 1831 in Pennsylvania, USA. He died between 1900-1910 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He married Mary Elizabeth Sprenkle, daughter of William Sprenkle and Magdelena Blouse about 1855. She was born on 15 Jan 1836 in Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 05 Apr 1930 in Craley, York Co., Pennsylvania.

ii.          MARY A. SILAR was born in 1834 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She died in Jun 1880 in York County, Pennsylvania ?. She married JOHN FERREE. He was born in 1830 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 11 Aug 1896 in East Prospect, York Co., Pennsylvania.

iii.         REBECCA SILAR was born in Apr 1836 in Pennsylvania, USA. She married Jackson Rawhouser about 1856 in Pennsylvania, USA. He was born in Sep 1828 in Pennsylvania, USA.

iv.         BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SILAR was born on 09 Jul 1839 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 07 Feb 1918 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He married Catherine Kise on 01 Jan 1869. She was born about 1845 in Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 15 Apr 1908 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA.

v.               CATHERINE SILAR was born about 1841 in Pennsylvania, USA. She died in 1908 in Dallastown, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She married Franklin Bott, son of Joseph G. Bott and Mary Manning in Mar 1861. He was born on 10 Aug 1838 in Carlisle, Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania. He died after 1907.

vi.         WILLIAM HENRY SILAR was born on 14 May 1844 in Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 04 Feb 1915 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He married Sarah Hayes, daughter of ? William Hayes and Sarah Hayes (Nee ?) about 1866 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She was born on 13 Jan 1847 in Lower Chanceford Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania. She died on 20 Jun 1917 in Pennsylvania, USA.

vii.       WILMINA SILAR was born on 02 Oct 1846 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 09 Feb 1927 in York, York Co., Pennsylvania, USA. She married Jacob Leithiser, son of Hartman Leithiser and Salome Ruby on 10 Feb 1867. He was born on 28 Jan 1848 in Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 03 Nov 1930 in Wrightsville, York, Pennsylvania, USA.

WILLIAM HENRY³ SILAR (George W.² Sr., John Frederick¹ Siler) was born on 14 May 1844 in Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 04 Feb 1915 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He married Sarah Hayes, daughter of ? William Hayes and Sarah Hayes (Nee ?) about 1866 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She was born on 13 Jan 1847 in Lower Chanceford Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania. She died on 20 Jun 1917 in Pennsylvania, USA.

William Henry Silar and Sarah Hayes had the following children:

i.          MARY ELIZABETH⁴ SILAR was born on 04 Dec 1867 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She died in 1885 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA.

ii.        ETTIE SILAR was born about 1869 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She died before 1880 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA.

iii.       GEORGE J. SILAR was born in Oct 1868 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA (Long Level,). He died on 01 Sep 1943 in Mt. Pisgah, Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania. He married Ida Matilda Dellinger, daughter of Jonathan Dellinger and Mary Arnold on 07 Feb 1892 in Yorkana, York Co., Pennsylvania. She was born on 10 Dec 1872 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 24 Feb 1942 in Mt. Pisgah, Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania.

iv.       WILLIAM A. SILAR was born on 16 Jul 1871 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 16 Apr 1901 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He married Carrie Blanche Blouse, daughter of William S. Blouse and Francis Blouse (Nee ?) on 21 Apr 1892 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She was born in Aug 1871 in Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 14 Dec 1943 in Long Level, Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania.

v.        WILIMINA SILAR was born on 30 Mar 1873 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 29 Sep 1921 in East Pennsboro, Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania. She married MANDIS BLOUSE. He was born on 05 Jan 1871. He died on 04 Jun 1935.

vi.       ERVIN SILAR was born on 13 Jan 1875 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 30 Jun 1963 in Wrightsville, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He married Annie M. Reisinger on 08 Dec 1895 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She was born in Sep 1874 in Pennsylvania, USA. She died in 1965 in Pennsylvania, USA.

vii.     ALICE SILAR was born on 06 Jun 1877 in Long Level, Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania. She died on 13 Nov 1964 in East Prospect, York Co., Pennsylvania. She married George Valentine Knisley, son of Valentine Kinsley and Christinna Jacobs on 24 Dec 1899 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He was born on 22 Dec 1877 in East Prospect, York Co., Pennsylvania. He died in 1949 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA.

viii.      KATIE SILAR was born in Apr 1880 in Pennsylvania, USA. She died between 1896-1900. She married FIRST NM. UNK.? BASOM.

ix.          CLARA E. SILAR was born in Jun 1881 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 27 Nov 1909 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She married Arthur E. Heim, son of Philip Heim and Eliza Anstine on 29 Dec 1904 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He was born on 11 Jan 1874 in East Prospect, York Co., Pennsylvania. He died on 29 Nov 1940 in East Prospect, York Co., Pennsylvania.

x.        HARRY BENJAMIN SILAR was born on 05 Feb 1885 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died in 1951 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He married Katie May Dosch on 06 Dec 1903 in East Prospect, York Co., Pennsylvania. She was born in Jan 1882 in Pennsylvania, USA. She died in Nov 1972 in East Prospect, York Co., Pennsylvania.

xi.       MATTIE SILAR was born in Jul 1886 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She died in 1961 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She married Ralph Gohn on

xii.     Mar 1906 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He was born on 22 Dec 1883 in Pennsylvania, USA. He died in Jan 1968 in Columbia, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania.

xiii.    HOMER E. SILAR was born on 06 Sep 1890 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 17 Nov 1918 in East Prospect, Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania?. He married Velma Grace Reisinger, daughter of Birman J. Reisinger and Sarah J. Burg on 07 Oct 1911 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She was born on 28 Oct 1890 in Pennsylvania, USA. She died in Mar 1972 in East Prospect, York Co., Pennsylvania.

GEORGE J.⁴ SILAR (William Henry³, George W.² Sr., John Frederick¹ Siler) was born in Oct 1868 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA (Long Level,). He died on 01 Sep 1943 in Mt. Pisgah, Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania. He married Ida Matilda Dellinger, daughter of Jonathan Dellinger and Mary Arnold on 07 Feb 1892 in Yorkana, York Co., Pennsylvania. She was born on 10 Dec 1872 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 24 Feb 1942 in Mt. Pisgah, Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania.

George J. Silar and Ida Matilda Dellinger had the following children:

i.            MABLE REBECCA⁵ SILAR was born on 02 Jun 1892 in Long Level, Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania. She died on 28 Aug 1968 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She married George Sherman Bair on 28 Apr 1917 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He was born in 1894. He died in 1950 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA.

ii.          FRANCIS ERVIN SILAR was born on 16 Nov 1893 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 10 Mar 1977 in York, York Co., Pennsylvania, USA. He married Effie V. Senft on 04 Aug 1913. She was born in 1890 in Pennsylvania, USA. She died in 1961 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA.

iii.         HARRY EUGENE SILAR was born on 14 Nov 1895 in Craley, York Co., Pennsylvania. He died on 07 Oct 1986 in Lebanon, Lebanon Co., Pennsylvania. He married Florence M. Hoffacker, daughter of William Edward Hoffacher and Nettie Mae Stanbaugh on 12 Dec 1919. She was born about 1901 in Pennsylvania, USA. She died in 1963.

iv.         SHERMAN RHOADES SILAR was born on 26 Aug 1897 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 08 Feb 1969 in Willingboro, Burlington Co., New Jersey. He married Florence Elizabeth Pfeffer, daughter of Frederick Lewis Pfeffer and Elizabeth Knecht on 14 Jun 1923 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She was born on 31 Mar 1899 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 14 Jun 1980 in Mercer County, New Jersey.

v.          GEORGE D. SILAR was born on 02 Aug 1899 in Dallastown, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 24 Aug 1965 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA.

vi.         MARY C. SILAR was born on 05 Nov 1901 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She died in Apr 1903 in Lower Windsor, York, Pennsylvania, USA.

vii.       JONATHAN HENRY SILAR was born on 24 Oct 1903 in Wrightsville, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 08 Jul 1941 in San Francisco, California, USA. He married Eva Irene Shank in 1930. She was born on 02 Dec 1905 in Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 01 Aug 1942 in San Mateo County, California.

viii.      AUSTIN R. SILAR was born on 14 Oct 1905 in York, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died in Sep 1985 in York, York Co., Pennsylvania, USA.

ix.         LEON ROY SILAR was born on 13 Sep 1908 in York, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 25 Mar 1965 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He married Anna Smith on 03 Jan 1931 in Hellam, York, Pennsylvania, USA (Trinity Evangelical Reformed Church). She was born on 21 Nov 1909. She died on 14 Apr 1977 in York, York Co., Pennsylvania, USA.

x.          CLARA NAOMI SILAR was born on 25 Sep 1909 in York, York Co., Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 27 Apr 1987 in Fort Myers, Lee Co., Florida. She married (1) DELBERT RECTOR FIGDORE on 23 Apr 1933. He was born on 05 Oct 1903. He died on 06 Feb 1982 in Zendt Nursing Home, Richfield, Juniata County, PA. She married EARL E. BERRY on 20 Jun 1947 in York Co. Pennsylvania??.

xi.         HELEN G. SILAR was born on 14 Jan 1912 in York, York, Pennsylvania, USA. She died in Sep 1991. She married (1) HARRY E. KINARD on 18 Jun 1927. She married WILLIAM EDWARD MYERS on 14 Nov 1936 in York, York Co, Pennsylvania, USA (Union Lutheran Church).

xii.           WILLIAM JACK SILAR was born on 18 Jun 1914 in York, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 16 Jun 1996 in Penn Valley, Nevada Co., California. He married Lillian Habermann on 03 Dec 1937 in San Francisco, California, USA (Evangelical Lutheran Church). She was born on 14 Nov 1914 in Idaho. She died on 04 Jun 1974 in San Mateo County, California.

xiii.      FOCH HAGREE PERSHING SILAR was born on 26 Oct 1918 in York City, York Co., Pennsylvania. He died on 02 May 1992 in Willow Street, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. He married Dorothy Marie Young on 25 Aug 1940 in Maryland. She was born on 19 Nov 1920. She died on 01 Jan 2002 in Willow Street, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania.

SHERMAN RHOADES⁵ SILAR (George J.⁴, William Henry³, George W.²  Sr., John Frederick¹ Siler) was born on 26 Aug 1897 in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 08 Feb 1969 in Willingboro, Burlington Co., New Jersey. He married Florence Elizabeth Pfeffer, daughter of Frederick Lewis Pfeffer and Elizabeth Knecht on 14 Jun 1923 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She was born on 31 Mar 1899 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 14 Jun 1980 in Mercer County, New Jersey.

Sherman Rhoades Silar and Florence Elizabeth Pfeffer had the following child:

i.      FREDERICK GEORGE⁶ SILER was born on 22 Aug 1924 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 31 Mar 1991 in New Symrna Beach, Volusia Co., Florida. He married (1) JUNE ELEANOR MORELAND on 05 Jul 1945 in Florence, Burlington, New Jersey, USA. She was born on 25 Jun 1923 in Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA. She died on 04 Sep 2001 in Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado, USA.   (2) MARGARET H. SILER (NEE?) about 1965. She was born on 12 Apr 1927. She died on 28 May 2007 in New Symrna Beach, Volusia Co., Florida. He married

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that will likely improve your results. The different searches will give you many different ways of using Google and the Internet to find ancestry information about this or any other Surname. 

Source documents

The documents contained within this “Source Documents Archives” have been located during our research of this family, and used as evidence to prove many of the facts contained within the database of this family’s record.   We have source documents related to the following persons within our database with this surname.

·      Alice SILAR Knisley

·      Alma SILAR Kauffman

·      Amelia SILAR Leiphart

·      Ammon H. SILAR

·      Benjamin F. SILAR

·      Catharine SILER Kise

·      Catherine SILER Bott

·      Clara SILAR Berry

·      Edward L. SILAR

·      Ervin SILAR

·      Francis E. SILAR

·      Freeman A. SILAR

·      George D. SILAR

·      George J. SILAR

·      George M. SILAR

·      George W. SILAR, Jr

·      George W. SILAR, Sr.

·      Getrude SILAR Olewiler

·      Glenn E. SILAR

·      Harry B. SILAR

·      Harry E. SILAR

·      Henry SILER

·      Homer E. SILAR

·      Homer R. SILAR

·      Horace P. SILAR

·      Jacob SILAR

·      Jay E. SILAR

·      John Frederick SILER

·      John H. SILAR

·      Jonathan H. SILAR

·      Leon R. SILAR, Sr.

·      Mary A. SILAR Ferree

·      Mary E. SILAR

·      Mary SILAR Sitler

·      Mattie SILAR Gohn

·      Mervin S. SILAR

·      Patricia A. SILAR

·      Rebecca SILAR Rawhouser

·      Richard A. SILAR

·      Robert J. SILAR

·      Russell C. SILAR

·      Russell J. SILAR

·      Samuel A. SILAR

·      Samuel W. SILAR

·      Sherman R. SILAR

·      Theodore E. SILAR

·      William A. SILAR

·      Wilmina SILAR Blouse

·     William Henry SILAR

GENERAL SOURCE DOCUMENTS

·      Silar - 1790 U.S. Census, Variant Surnames, Southeastern PA

·      Silar - 1810  Variant Surnames (SE PA & MD)

·      Silar - 1820 U.S. Census, Surname Variants (SE PA & MD)

·      Silar - 1829-46 Tax Lists, Windsor Twp

·      Silar - 1840 U.S. Census, Surname Variants, York Co. PA

·      Silar - 1850 U.S. Census, Variant Surnames, York Co., PA

·      Silar - 1900 U.S.Census, Lower Windsor Twp. York Co., PA

·      Silar - 1910 Census Index, Pennsylvania

·      Silar - 1920 U.S. Census Index

·      Silar - 1930 US Census. Soundex Variants,  York Co. PA

·      Silar - 1953 Reunion News Article

·      Silar - American Genealogical-Biographical Index

·      Silar - California Birth Index 1905-1995

·      Silar - Names of Spouses

·      Silar - Social Security Death Index

·      Silar - York County Archives (online)

This Link will take you to our

archive of source documents.  

     Most of these documents can be considered as primary or secondary evidence.  Primary evidence is usually defined as the best available to prove the fact in question, usually in an original document or record.  Secondary evidence is in essence all that evidence which is inferior in its origin to primary evidence. That does not mean secondary evidence is always in error, but there is a greater chance of error.  Examples of this type of evidence would be a copy of an original record, or oral testimony of a record’s contents.  Published genealogies and family histories are also secondary evidence.

     Classifying evidence as either primary or secondary does not tell anything about its accuracy or ultimate value.  This is especially true of secondary evidence.  Thus it is always a good idea to ask the following questions: (1) How far removed from the original is it, (when it is a copy)?; (2) What was the reason for the creation of the source which contains this evidence?; and (3) Who was responsible for creating this secondary evidence and what interest did they have in its accuracy?

SOURCE: Greenwood, Val D., The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, 2^nd edition, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD 21202, 1990, pgs. 62-63

You are welcome to download any of the documents contained within this archive that does not cite a copyright.  Should you encounter a problem obtaining a copy you may get in touch with us via the contact information found at the end of this web-page.

Migration routes

       Tracing our own family’s paths of migration can prove crucial in identifying previous generations and eventually, figuring out where and how they arrived in the “New World” as well as where they eventually settled.  Knowing the network of trails American pioneers traveled can help you guess where to start looking.  The trail map(s) provided below may assist you in understanding the routes that our direct ancestors of this family may have taken to find new homes and opportunities in the vast area now encompassed by the United States.

      During the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th centuries hundreds of thousands of Europeans made the perilous ocean voyage to America.  For many it was an escape from economic hardship and religious persecution.  For most it was an opportunity to start over, own their own land, and make a better future for their descendents.

Immigration records show a number of people bearing the name of SEILER, or one of its variants, as arriving in North America between the 17^th and 20^th centuries.  Some of these immigrants were: Johann Sayler, who immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1728; Claus Seyler, who came to South Carolina with his wife Anna Uerbin and their children Anna and Niclaus in 1740.  Christophel Seiler arrived at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1749 and Hans Seiler in 1738 also at Philadelphia.

Use the following links to find more early immigrants with this surname:

$ Search Ancestry.com Immigration Records; or Free Ship’s Passenger lists at OliveTreeGenealogy.com

It is believed that Johan Frederick Siler arrived at the port of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1803.  It is not known where Frederick resided upon his arrival in Philadelphia.  He may have lived in either for a while in Philadelphia city before migrating out to other locations in Pennsylvania.   

It appears that by 1820 Frederick and his family were living in the Tulpehocken Township area of Berks County, Pennsylvania. This movement from Philadelphia to Tulpehocken was quite common among German immigrants starting as early as the 1730’s.  Frederick’s migratory route from the Philadelphia area was probably along what was then known as Ridge Road, now Ridge Pike.  Ridge Road was originally the ancient Native-American trail known as the “Perkiomen Path”.  At what is now Pottstown the road would follow along what is now U.S. Route 422 to the town of Reading, a distance of about 55 miles from Philadelphia.  From here Frederick would travel west another 20 miles on the ”Alleghany Path”, now U.S. Route 422, until he arrived at the German settlements in Tulpehocken Township.

Click on the map for a larger image

     By 1830 Frederick and his family had removed from Berks County to York County, Pennsylvania. This again was also a common occurrence among the German immigrants of the time as they sought to move west across the Susquehanna River and into the well established German communities in that location.   It is likely that when Frederick departed the Tulpehocken area he proceeded west along the aforementioned “Alleghany Path” through the town of Lebanon and on the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania located on the eastern shore of the Susquehanna River. It would have taken several days to travel this distance of about 35 miles.  From Harrisburg he probably took the road that was the old Native-American trail called the “Paxtang Path”, now PA Route 441, south along the eastern side of the Susquehanna River.  At Columbia in Lancaster County he would ferry across to the west side of the river at “Wrights Landing”, now Wrightsville, located about 30 miles south of Harrisburg.  Frederick settled in the township of Windsor located in the eastern part of the county, and situated about 6 miles south east of Wrightsville. 

The Development of an Historical Migration Route

It is understood that in many if not all cases we do not know exactly what routes our ancestors took as they migrated throughout the United States.   As such certain assumptions have been utilized to re-create the migration path presented above.  With regard to 18^th and 19^th century land routes we assume that they travelled along few trails and roads that were in existence at the time.  Research shows that a great many of these old paths and trails are today designated as U.S. Highway Routes.  For example, a major east-west route of migration known as the National Road is now U.S. Route 40, and a primary north-south migration route of the 18^th century followed the Great Indian War and Trading Path is now U.S. Route 11.  In some situations the re-created migration route may travel along state routes that connect or run through the seat of a county as that populated place is probably the oldest settlement in the area. The use of water as a migration route is also likely.  For example, during the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries many families travelled west on the Ohio River as they moved on the new lands in Missouri or the Old Northwest Territory.  As such when applicable water routes have been included as the possible migration route.   

Ancestral locations

Researching the locations where our ancestors lived has provided us with valuable evidence needed to fill in the gaps in our family trees.  It has also led us to many interesting facts that enhance the overall picture of each family group.

The names of states and counties on the following list were derived from the known places where the Direct Ancestors in the “Ancestral Lineage” (see above) were born, married, and / or died.

GERMANY

PRUSSIA

UNITED STATES

NEW JERSEY

Burlington County

PENNSYLVANIA

Philadelphia County, York County

Use this LINK to find out more about this

ancestral family and the locations listed above.

Where are my

Resources which enhance our knowledge of the places inhabited by our ancestors are almost as important as their names. The LINK to the right will take you to Maps, Gazetteers,   and  other  helpful   resources 

that will assist in discovering Ancestral Locations.  These web sites comprise only a small portion of what is available for researchers interested in learning more about where their ancestors lived.

Images gallery

During our research we have collected images and photographs that are of general interest to a particular family.  Some of them are presented on this website because we believe they tend to provide the reader with additional information which may aid in the understanding of our ancestors past lives.  We have images related to the following persons within our database with this surname.

·        Ameila SILAR Leiphart

·        Austin R. SILAR

·        Beverly Joanna SILAR

·        Charles Russell SILAR

·        Clara E. SILAR

·        Clara N. SILAR

·        Foch H.P. SILAR

·        Francis E. SILAR

·        Frederick G. SILER, Jr.

·        Frederick G. SILER, Sr.

·        George J. SILAR

·        George D. SILAR

·        George W. SILAR, Sr.

·        Harry E. SILAR

·        Helen G. SILAR

·        Jonathan SILAR

·        Kristen K. SILER

·        Leon R. SILAR

·        Mable R. SILAR

·        Rojean M. SILAR

·        Sherman  R. SILAR

·        William M. SILAR

·        Wilmina SILAR

This Link will take you to our

collection of family images.  

Use the power of Google™ to find more interesting images about this topic. This button will link you to the Google Images Search   page.   Enter   the   topic   you   are

searching in the box and click “Search Images”. At the “Images” display page you will see the image, as well as the website of which it is associated.

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-- This webpage was last updated on --

01 August  2013