Show ContentsEaver History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Eaver family

The surname Eaver was first found in Kent at Hever, a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District. The village dates back to the Saxon Chronicle where it was listed as Heanfre in 814. Literally the place name means "high edge." Nearby, Hever Castle was originally a country house built in the 13th century. Anne Boleyn, the second queen consort of King Henry VIII of England, spent her early youth there. The castle survived over the years and is now a tourist attraction. One of the first listing of the family was found in Sussex in the 13th century.

Early History of the Eaver family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Eaver research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1194, 1455, 1487, 1510, 1562 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Eaver History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eaver Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Eaver are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Eaver include: Hever, Heaver, Hefer, Heafer, Hepher, Ever, Eever and many more.

Early Notables of the Eaver family

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


United States Eaver migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Eaver or a variant listed above:

Eaver Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Eaver, (b. 1820), aged 22, Cornish miner departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Triton"arriving in the United States on 11 May 1842 1


  1. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf


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