Bill Crant

Excerpt from Dr. Seary's, Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, MUN 1977.

COLLIER, COLYER, surnames of England, Scotland and Ireland, and Collier of the Miamacs of Newfoundland, from Old Eng-lish col - coal, a maker or seller-of charcoal. (Reaney).

Guppy traced Collier in Berkshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire and Collyer usually in Surrey; Spiegelhalter traced Collier in Devon; MacLysaght traced Collier in Ireland since 1305; it is now mainly found in Cos. Carlow, Kilkenny and We:cford.

In Newfoundland:

Family traditions: The Colliers were inhabitants of St. Lawrence and Gaultois as early as 1800 (MUN Hist.). -----, from England to Burnt Woods, Conne River, 1838 (MUN Folklore).

Early instances: George Collier or Collyer, publican of St. John's, 1794-5, "33 years in Newfoundland", that is, 1761-2 (Census 1794-5, CO 194.33); Edward Collier, of Trinity Bay, 1768 (DPHW 64); George, from London, carpenter deserted from the ship Perseverance, 1818 (Nfld. Mercantile Journal 28 Aug 1818); John, of Codroy Islands, 1835 (DPHW 30); Samuel, of Otter's Point, 1839 (DPHW 101); George, of Bonavista, 1840 (DPHW 70); John, of Lower Burgeo, 1850 (DPHW 101); Samuel, member of the Board of Road Commissioners for the area of Gaultois, 1857 (Nfld. Almanac); Jacob (and others), of Fortune, 1871 (Lovell); George, a Micmac of Conne River, about 1872 (Mac-Gregor).

Modern status: Collier, scattered, especially at St. Alban's; Colyer, rare, at St. John's.

Place names: Collier Bay 47-36 53-42; ----- Point 47-36 53-41, 48-32 58-20; ----- Rock 46-49 55-44; Colliers 47-28 53-13; ----- Arm 47-38 53-44; ----- Bay 47-29 53-12; ----- Point 47-20 53-10; ----- River 47-27 53-15; ----- Big Pond 47-24 53-19; Collyers Bight (Labrador) 56-51 61-03; ----- Point (Labrador) 56-49 61-06.

Early Instances: