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Diver History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Diver History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
England
Ireland

Hundreds of years ago, the Gaelic name used by the Diver family in Ireland was Ó Duibhir and Mac Duibhir. These are both derived from the words dubh, which means black, and odhar or uidhir, which means uncolored. 1 Another source has a slightly different explanation: "Descendant of the dark, tawny man; grandson of Dubhodhar (black Odhar)." 2 And yet another notes: "Said to be the Gaelic do-ire, a woody uncultivated place." 3

Early Origins of the Diver family

The surname Diver was first found in County Tipperary where they were the traditional Lords of Kilnamanagh. They claim descent from Cairbre Cluitheachar, the youngest son of Cucorb, King of Leinster through the O'Connors (Faley.) 4

Although the O'Dwyers originally held a family seat in the barony of Kilnamanagh, they later branched to Clonyhorpa and Drumdromy in the same county. The eponymous ancestor of the O'Dwyers was Duibhir (sometimes spelled Duibhidir and Dubhiir), 4 the 11th century chief of the sept. Without the prefix Mac, Dyer is mainly found in Cos. Sligo and Roscommon. 5

Early History of the Diver family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Diver research. Another 171 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1473, 1798, 1842, 1916 and 1917 are included under the topic Early Diver History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Diver Spelling Variations

A name was often recorded during the Middle Ages under several different spelling variations during the life of its bearer because literacy was rare there was no real push to clearly define any of the languages found in the British Isles at that time. Variations found of the name Diver include Dwyer, O'Dwyer, Dwire, Dwier, Dyer and others.

Early Notables of the Diver family

More information is included under the topic Early Diver Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Diver migration to the United States +

Death and immigration greatly reduced Ireland's population in the 19th century. For the native Irish people poverty, hunger, and racial prejudice was common. Therefore, thousands left their homeland to seek opportunity in North America. Those who survived the journey and the quarantine camps to which they arrived, were instrumental towards building the strong developing nations of the United States and the future Canada. By far, the largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. These were employed as construction or factory workers. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has shown early immigrants bearing the name Diver:

Diver Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hugh Diver, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 6

Diver Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Diver, aged 25, who arrived in New Castle or Philadelphia in 1804 6
William Diver, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 6
Patrick Diver, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 6
Sidney Diver, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 6
Susan Diver, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Diver migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Diver Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Patrick Diver, aged 21, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Perseus" in 1834
Edward Diver, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Perseus" in 1834
Neill Diver, aged 26, a farmer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Highlander" in 1834
Edward Diver, aged 28, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Highlander" in 1834
Mary Diver, aged 23, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Highlander" in 1834
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Diver migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Diver Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Robert Diver, English convict who was convicted in Norfolk, England for life, transported aboard the "Clyde" on 20th August 1830, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Mr. John Diver, English convict who was convicted in Essex, England for life, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 2nd November 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Sarah Diver, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Mariner" in 1847 9

Contemporary Notables of the name Diver (post 1700) +

William Diver, American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Salem County, 1893-94 10
William Diver (1921-1995), American founder of the Columbia School of Linguistics
Joe Diver, Irish Gaelic footballer
Danny Diver (b. 1966), Scottish former football player and manager
Stuart Diver (b. 1970), Australian ski instructor
Mike Diver, British music journalist
Alfred John Day Diver (1823-1876), English cricketer

Historic Events for the Diver family +

Victoria steamboat disaster

Alberta Ismena Diver, Canadian passenger who was killed in the Victoria steamboat disaster when the boat capsized in 1881
Bingham Diver, Canadian passenger who was killed in the Victoria steamboat disaster when the boat capsized in 1881
Hiram Diver, Canadian passenger who was killed in the Victoria steamboat disaster when the boat capsized in 1881
Wealthy M. Diver, Canadian passenger who was killed in the Victoria steamboat disaster when the boat capsized in 1881

The Diver Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Vertus sola nobilitas
Motto Translation: Virtue alone enobles

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
MacLysaght, Edward, Supplement to Irish Families. Baltimore: Genealogical Book Company, 1964. Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clyde
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th March 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MARINER 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Mariner.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 25) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html