Quote Originally Posted by slohairt View Post
If pronounced BOY-YAY, and of French/Norman-French origin, than yes I would say this is the etymology. If looking at an English source I would still say Bowyer "bowmaker." The French word for archer IS archer, though pronounced ARR-SHAY.
Pronunciation has nothing to do with it at this point in time. I have Boyer cousins who pronounce it 3 different ways within just one small middle Georgia county.

According to Surname Profiler, if it is found in the UK it is most likely to be of French origin:http://www.spatial-literacy.org/UCLn...y=GB&type=name

If found in the US, it is likely to be either that or a variant of Bayer/Bauer/Baier from Germany.

Surnames origins may provide some general clues, but if you want to know who your ancestors were, there really is no substitute for methodically documenting them going backward generation by generation, via a solid paper trail. DNA testing can help, but its use is more often for exclusionary purposes than inclusionary ones.

If one decides that one's patrilineal ancestors were Gaelic speakers despite all evidence to the contrary, there certainly is an abundance of those who will assist one in that fantasy. Purveyor of Scots and Irish dress, music, alcohol, travel agents, hoteliers, others in the hospitality industry, etc. have been making a living off those with more money than discernment for well over a century.