Sir Alexander Colyear, 1st Baronet
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Sir Alexander Colyear, 1st Baronet (born Robertson alias Colyear) (c. 1630 – c. 1685) was a Scottish gentleman who lived most of his life in the Netherlands. He was created a baronet in the Baronetage of England in 1677 and is the ancestor of the Earls of Portmore in the peerage of Scotland.
Colyear was born in c. 1630, a son of Jean Bruce (c. 1595–1671) and David Robertson, also known by the surname Colyear, of Strowan, Perthshire. The family's alternative surname has also been spelled as Colyer, Colyear, Coljer, Collier, Colier, Coleyer, and Cauleyer.[1] Before his parents’ marriage, his father was married to Clara van der Poll, with whom he had a son named Justinus Colyer, later a Dutch ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. His father served as Chamberlain to his Excellency who became sergeant major of the Sir William Drummond's regiment of the Scots Army in 1649.[2]
His paternal grandparents were Helen and Jacob Colyear, who assumed the surname of Robertson and was said to be descended from the House of Robertson of Struan. His maternal grandparents were John Bruce of Airth and Margaret Elphinstone, a daughter of Alexander Elphinstone, 4th Lord Elphinstone.[2]
Colyear is a Fife name, and families of that name held land near Kirkcaldy, Pitkinny, and Lochgelly.[2]
