This information and posts contained within this blog are intended to inform those who are descended from William Sivyer and Elizabeth Burt of stories of their ancestors past. As a number of William and Elizabeth's children emigrated to Australia in the period 1838 to 1840 there is now a large number of generations of their Sivyer descendants and subsequent families. During the 19th century there were many other families with the name Sivyer who emigrated to the English colonies and the United States of America. Nearly all of these families or people came from the parishes within the south eastern areas of England in particular the counties of Sussex and Kent. The link to the Google Blog provides access to some of their stories. Today we have the name Sivyer in a number of the states of America, Canada, and New Zealand. It must be noted that there are many variations of the name Sivyer to be found when researching for family information. Some of these variations are Sivier, Siviour, and Civier. SURNAME ORIGIN The web site Surname Database provides the following information on the meaning of the surname Sivyer. "This unusual and interesting name is a confusing mix of pre Anglo-Saxon and later 11th century Norman-French. It was also probaly given 'new blood' in the 17th century through Dutch or French Huguenot immigration from the continent, although this is not definately proven. The surname is occupational, and denotes a manufacturer or merchant of wooden (and later metal) sieves. The derivation being from the Old English pre 7th Century word "sifa", and the later French 'sieve'. There are a surprising number of variants of the surname in use today, which itself indicates the medieval importance of the occupation. These include Seviour, Sevior, Sevier, Sebyer, Seeviour, Siveyer, Sivier and Sivyer."
Read more at the web link provided. Surname Database
The HIGH WEALD The Sivyer families and their descendants across the world in the main can trace their ancestry back to the areas of Sussex and Kent. This area of outstanding natural beauty is a feature of England. Further information on the High Weald can be found here. My great great grandfather James Sivyer who emigrated to Australia in 1838 arriving in 1839 in Sydney was listed as an agricultural labourer and his wife Harriet dairymaid. For most of the emigrants coming from Kent and Sussex at that time they are listed as some form of labourer or housemaid. Large families and the inability to own land with a constant need to be always looking for farm work was a good incentive to access the government and private emigration schemes that were being promoted. My Sivyer ancestry has two areas of work that became integral to the family life and a source of income for around 100 years. Brickmaking and timber were the industries that James Sivyer and his son Spencer were involved with in the early days of colonial Australia.