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![Show Contents]() Chivis Surname History
- Origins Available:
 Scotland Ireland
A family of Strathclyde-Briton were the first to use the name Chivis. They lived in the old barony in the parish of Tarves, Aberdeenshire. The name Chivis comes from Gaelic seamhas, meaning "a narrow place in a river." Early Origins of the Chivis familyThe surname Chivis was first found in Tarves, Aberdeenshire. Some of the earliest records of the family include: John Chivas, who had a safe conduct to study at Oxford in 1393, and William Shivas, who was a Physician and Astrologer, Archbishop of St. Andrews in 1477. Later, John Scheves was forgiven on a charge of murder in 1526. 1 William Schevez or Schives (died 1497) was "Archbishop of St. Andrews, is supposed to have descended from a family that adopted the name from the estate of Schevez in Aberdeenshire. One John de Schevez was clerk to James I in 1426, and may have been the patron through whose influence William Schevez was introduced to the court." 2 Early History of the Chivis familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chivis research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1647, 1648, 1759, 1801, 1843 and 1850 are included under the topic Early Chivis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Chivis Spelling VariationsIn the era before dictionaries, there were no rules governing the spelling or translation of names or any other words. Consequently, there are an enormous number of spelling variations in Medieval Scottish names. Chivis has appeared as Shivas, Shives, Chivas, Shivis, Shivez, Shivers, Shevas and many more. Early Notables of the Chivis familyAnother 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chivis Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Chivis family to Ireland
Some of the Chivis family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Chivis familyThe freedom, opportunity, and land of the North American colonies beckoned. There, Scots found a place where they were generally free from persecution and where they could go on to become important players in the birth of new nations. Some fought in the American War of Independence, while others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these Scottish settlers have been able to recover their lost national heritage in the last century through highland games and Clan societies in North America. Among them: Samuel Shiva who was on record in Boston Massachusetts in 1651; Richard Shevers, who was in the records of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1694; James and Henry Shivers, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1847.
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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