Devoss Surname History

Origins Available:
England

The name Devoss arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Devoss family lived in Essex. The name, however, derives from the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Vaux, Normandy. 1

Early Origins of the Devoss family

The surname Devoss was first found in Essex where Robert de Vals, de Valibus, de Vaux was first listed shortly after the Conquest. 2

However, the name was scattered throughout early Britain due to their strong Norman ancestry. Aitard de Vaux held estates in Norfolk in 1086 as did Randulph de Vaux in Cumberland. 1

In part, this was due to the origin of the name "Vaux," a fairly common French place name which is plural of the word "val" which means in English "valley." 2 The "V" and "F" prefix was interchangeable at this time.

Early History of the Devoss family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Devoss research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1570, 1605, 1606, 1675 and 1732 are included under the topic Early Devoss History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Devoss Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Faux, Fawkes, Fauks and others.

Early Notables of the Devoss family

Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Devoss Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Devoss family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Devoss or a variant listed above: Henry Fauks arrived in Pennsylvania in 1871; John Fawkes settled in Virginia in 1739; John Faux settled in Barbados in 1634; Robert Faux settled in New England in 1698.

Contemporary Notables of the name Devoss (post 1700) +

John H. DeVoss, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Ohio, 1956 3

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html