This rare name is almost certainly Ancient British (i.e. pre Roman) in origin and dating back before the Time of Christ. The basic root of the name is "Gair or Ger" and the literal meaning is "The Babbling River". It is first recorded as the River name as early as 150 A.D., by Claudius Ptolemy in his geographical Study of Norfolk. The surname development has included, Richard Years, baptised at St. Mary Whitechapel in 1667, Mary Yair (1684) St. Margarets Westminster, William Yer (1689) St. Brides, Fleet Street and Charlotte Yarr St. Dunstans Church, Stepney 1830. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Isaac Years. which was dated 1658, St. Michael at Plea, Norwich. during the reign of Richard Cromwell, The Lord Protector, 1658 - 1659. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.