@skyrme.info :: One-Name Study Reg. No. 6232

Welcome to the Skyrme family history website.

If you or your ancestors have the surname Skyrme (or any of its variants - Skyrm, Skirm, Skirme, Skerme etc.) then these web pages are for you. Our family trees share a very unusual name.

This website was launched in 1996 and started with the author's family tree, which originated in Pembrokshire. Since 2012, it has expanded to include Skyrmes world-wide and now constitutes a One-Name Study (ONS) of the surname. The main cluster of Skyrmes originates from Herefordshire, but there are other significant clusters in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. This builds on the excellent work of Ian Skyrm over many years. He passed over the registration (with the Guild of One Name Studies) of the Skyrm(e) ONS to me in June 2014. As a result this website is now the official website for the Skyrm(e) ONS.

I am grateful to the many people (Skyrmes and their relatives) who since 1996 have contacted me providing helpful information (see sources).

If you share the name of have information on it, we invite you to send information to me by email at skyrme@one-name.org. Also notify me of your own family web pages so that they can be included on the SkyrmeNet links.

I hope you find this a useful resource in your Skyrme family history activities.

David J Skyrme

P.S. I welcome feedback and enquiries - see the contact page on how to get in touch.

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Update History

• A Yorkshire Connection - the story of Robert Henry Skyrme (1864-1951) and his move to Selby and Leeds via London.
• Family History with a Twist, Fact or Fiction - three different Skyrme families, Jan 2024 (PDF version).
• Migration, three different Skyrme families migrated to Barrow-in-Furness. What did they do, and did they stay?(Nov 2023).
• Learning from Newspapers, examples from Bromyard, Bodenham, Clehonger, Herefordiensis article, Oct 2023 (PDF version).
• Pembroke Freemen Assert Their Rights, Journal of Dyfed FHS Journal, August 2023 (PDF version).
• Fact or Fiction? Three stories, two fiction, one based on facts: 1) The Poacher Tramp - Witness to a murder (Ned Skyrme); 2) Ragged Robyn (Skyrme); 3) Trixie Skyrme.
• New Article: Mary Phillips / Skyrme / Williams - A Bigamist, Not Just Once but twice!, Dyfed FHS Journal, April 2023 (PDF version)
• A Jeweller in Cornwall :: 150 Years Ago: A Farm Fire At Bodenham :: 100 Years Ago: Schoolboy Leaves Too Early (Apr 2023)
• Two New Articles A Change of Name :: A Systematic Approach to your One-Name Study (Jan 2023)
• Three New Articles Your Ag Lab Ancestors (Herefordshire) :: From Herefordshire to Oakanagan :: Have I Finally Struck Gold (Oct 2022)
• A Change of Name Examples of name changes :: Also Writing to a Theme (Oct 2022)
• Two New Articles: The Infamous Solicitor of Ross :: Your Ag Lab Ancestors (Dyfed)
• Striking Gold: The ancestry of Welsh born USA Miner William Skyrme (see Feb-Mar 2019) is solved
• 200 & 100 Years Ago:A "Desirable Small Compact Farm" at Clehonger. Who was Primo Skyrme?
• Who was Archibald Skyrme? Mr and Mrs Maitland. The first one a mystery; the second a Skyrme alias.
• Ag Labs and Long: Distance Connections. All ag labs are not the same; Norfolk and Pembrokeshire couplings.
• 2020 A Year Like No Other?. New articles on pandemics past plus the person who literally made the news (John Skyrme, publisher of the Huddersfield Chronicle)
• A Visit to Laugharne. Also from old newspapers - Wootton Farm, John Skyrme and Ross sewage, Charles Skyrme's fine furniture sale.
• Welcome and Unwelcome News. Unwelcome: A case of child neglect; Welcome: A useful new online resource for Herefordshire Skyrme researchers.
• 50, 100 and 150 years ago. The 'emergency chemist', a World War I VAD hospital and the Skyrme's Kernel (apple variety).
• 200, 150 and 100 years ago. Skyrmes who feature in this month's historic newspapers include a hosier and glover, a solicitor and property developer, and a Wesleyan minister.
• William Skyrme: Millionaire Miner - Fact or Fiction?. The exploits of a Welshman who became a superintendent of some 20 mines in four US states, and who is said to have known Mark Twain.
• 150 and 100 years ago. Edward's Energetic Exertions and Dr Skyrme gives evidence at a worker's compensation hearing.
• Hoplas and Unclaimed Fortune. Three Hopla siblings with surnames all spelt differently. Also a William Skyrme from Portsmouth/Swansea who made his fortune in California - but who was he?
• 100, 150 and 200 years ago. More Skyrme references in newspapers. This time they are all adverts - a cornet player wanting a job, liver pills and a re-advertisement of that "commodious dwelling house".
• Richard the Archer. I have found a couple of references to one or more Richard Skyrmes who were archers protecting English garrisons in Normandy in 1437 and 1445.
• Christmas Nuptuals. Often Christmas Day and Boxing Day were the only time families could get together, so there were quite a few baptisms and marriages around that time.
• Past Decembers. Continuing the anniversary theme: dancing through the night, a marriage, a commissioner and a chemist.
• 100, 150 and 200 years ago. Some Skyrmes in newspapers - Is Hastings Ready? A Fowl Deed, A Commodious Dwelling To Let.
• Lest We Forget (11th November 2018). Today 100 years ago "the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" was the the end of hostilites in WW1. This post commemmorates by name, the Skyrmes who died serving their country.
• The Worcester Skyrmes (October 2018). They started as hatters and glove makers but finished up as inn-keepers and involved with horse racing.
• The Sloop 'William Skyrme' (October 2018). The story of this sloop built in Laugharne in 1811. There was also a person named William Skyrme who married in Laugharne in the year she was built. Intriguing!
• This Day in History (26 September 2018). The anniversary of the sinking of US Coast Guard Cutter USS Tampa, with the loss of 131 lives, including that of Edwin Skyrme; also more on WW1 records.
• Lost and Found (August 2018). The story of two Skyrmes who disappeared (deliberately) but were tracked down - 'The Disappearing Tanner' and 'The Deserter and Bigamist'.
• Dead or Alive? (July 2018). How the list of the dead at a major colliery disaster listed a policeman who was alive 7 years later. Also why did mason John Skyrme withold his labour?
• Two Australian Skyrmes (June 2018). The will of vigneron George Skyrme of Victoria (of Herefordshire ancestry); an enquiry about settling in Tasmania by Frederick Skyrme (of Llangwm, Pembrokeshire ancestry).
• Skyrme as a Middle Name (May 2018). Use of surnames as middle names, hyphenated names (e.g. Skyrme-Jones and Skyrme-Mason) and the parentage of William Gwatkin Skyrme.
• The Redoubtable Mrs Grimes of Lydstep House (March 2018). The story of an intruder who terrified one of my distant cousins. Mary Skyrme, a servant at Lydstep House in 1860.
• School Records - WW1 Exemptions for Farming Labourers (January 2018). The value of school admissions registers and the fascination of school logs. Also an article about the plight of keeping farms going through WW1.
• Recent Publications & Observations (October 2017). The latest (partial) update of the Skyrmes of Manorbier & Penally; article on the Vowchurch Skyrmes, and an intriguing road sign.
• From Railways to Real Estate (September 2017). The sad ruins of Llawhaden House. Migration from Castlemartin to Munhall, Pennsylvania where Skyrmes Insurance Agency Inc. is in the 4th generation of the founding Skyrmes.
• Connecting Clusters (July 2017). More on the Vowchurch Skyrmes. Also the challenges of finding the connections and relationships of Skyrme families in different localities.
• Demolishing Brick Walls (May 2017). An article on new ways to demolishing brick walls, using Pembrokeshire examples. Also a surprise newspaper clipping from a Spring clean. New uploads of publications into the library.
• Contributions and Collaboration (March 2017). Thanking contributors who have collaborated on the Herefordshire Skyrmes. One example: Arthur - the person who changed his name (and that of his children) from Williams to Skyrme.
• Farming Families (January 2017). Comparing the fortunes of farming families in Herefordshire and Pembrokeshire; about the Cynefin project that has uploaded tithe maps of Wales.
• New Sources to Unravel the Pyon Skyrmes (November 2016). How the new online GRO index, GRO probate records and the 1939 Register have all played a part in exploring the Skyrmes of Canon Norton, Kings and Canon Pyon, especially since there were three Albert Edward Skyrmes all born close to each other in time and space!
• DNA To The Rescue? (September 2016). I have just started a DNA project. The hope is that over time it will show the connections between the various Skyrme branches.
• Systems and Serendipity (July 2016). How my systematic approach often gets derailed by serendipitous discoveries or emails from strangers, including details of early USA immigrants and two accidents in Wales.
• From Wales to the USA and Russia (November 2015). The story of Edith's leg (buried in a Cardiff cemetery), the Skyrms of the USA, and why Welsh girl Elizabeth Skyrme gave birth to children in Russia.
• Just Published - Skyrmes of Herefordshire (September 2015). Rather than wait until the research is complete (it never is!), I've released the first edition of The Skyrmes of Herefordshire. This news items gives the table of contents, or you can download the complete 36-page document (click on image at top right).
• Exciting but horrible (August 2015). Two days research at the newly re-opened Herefordshire archives reveal a mediaeval murder at Lugwardine.
• Herefordshire & Pembroke visits (July 2015). Photographing over 20 Skyrme locations in Herfordshire and a day's work at Pembrokeshire Archives.
• Emigration (June 2015). A look at some emigrants, some by choice (e.g. to Canada and the USA), but others who were sentenced to transportation to Australia.
• New Publication (May 2015). Finally! A year later than planned due to new resources coming online all the time, Part of of The Skyrmes of Pembrokeshire, namely those of Llangwm (see link on image above).
• News (May 2015). Updates on some interesting research for enquirers that delayed the Llangwm publication - Worcester racecourse and Stanley Spencer feature!
• News (October 2014). Progress on recent activities including findings on Skyrmes renowned for breeding of Herefordshire cattle, tracing two soldiers featured on Letton's WW1 memorial plaque and the untimely death of Daniel Skyrme in 1904.
• July 2014 - Complete restructuring of website to reflect the Skyrm(e) One-Name Study (ONS). New content includes variant analysis, distribution, library content and details of research and progress of the Skyrm(e) ONS.
• News (June 2014) - transition to an ONS website, Pharos Advanced One-Name Studies course, more USA and Canada records.
• News (May 2014) - updates on researching the Skyrmes of Llangwm, including a bigamous marriage!

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Yardy website: Yardy was my maternal grandmother's name, and happens to be three times rarer than Skyrme! In March 2013, I started the Yardy One-Name Study. For details and updates go to the Yardy website.