Show ContentsEverest History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the Everest family brought their name to England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Herefordshire. This family was originally from Evreux, in Eure, Normandy, and it is from the local form of this place-name, D'Evreux, literally translating as "from Evreux." They claim descent from "the sovereign house of Normandy, deriving from Robert Count of Evereux, Archbishop of Rouen, son of Richard I of Normandy." [1] [2]

Early Origins of the Everest family

The surname Everest was first found in Herefordshire where Roger D'Evreux and his brother were listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. It was there that he married the sister of Walter de Lacy of Hereford. His widow, Helewysa gave lands to Gloucester Abbey and bore a son named Robert de Evrois. By 1165, there were two branches of the family in Hereford. [1]

"Amongst the principal Normans who accompanied the Conqueror, and participated in the triumph and spoil of Hastings, was Walter de Evereux, of Rosmar, in Normandy, who obtained, with other considerable grants, the Lordships of Salisbury and Ambresbery, which (having devised his hereditary possessions and Earldoms to Walter, his eldest son,) he bequeathed to his younger son, Edward de Evereux, thenceforward designated of Salisbury. This potent noble, who possessed, at the General Survey, lordships in the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Surrey, Hants, Middlesex, Hereford, Buckingham, and Wilts, bore the royal Standard at the battle of Brennevill, and eminently distinguished himself. His only son, Walter de Evereux, founded the Monastery of Bradenstoke, wherein, in his old age, he became a canon." [3]

Sir John Devereux second Lord Devereux (d. 1393), "belonged to a family which takes its name, according to Dugdale, from the town of Evreux in Normandy. It is found in English annals so early as 1140. Sir John Devereux was the son of Sir Walter DeveDevereux, and grandson of William, summoned as Baron in 1298. He was one of the English knights who apparently accompanied Du Guesclin into Spain in 1366 to dethrone Don Pedro." [4]

It was in Wiltshire that the Deverells permanently took root, and there they lived close upon four hundred and fifty years, and gave their name to a nest of adjacent hamlets, Kingston-Deverill, Longbridge Deverill, Monckton Deverill, Brixton Deverill and Hill Deverill, clustered along the little river Wiley; to Mount-Deverill, and Hussey-Deverill." [5]

The name Deverill is not uncommon to fiction. In particular, Edward Deverill was featured in Agatha Christie's Poirot story "Evil under the Sun," and the fictional Deverill Hall in Hampshire, in the village of King's Deverill which is prominently noted in The Mating Season, a novel by P. G. Wodehouse.

Early History of the Everest family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Everest research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1315, 1339, 1362, 1367, 1372, 1374, 1376, 1383, 1411, 1431, 1449, 1451, 1459, 1463, 1485, 1489, 1501, 1550, 1558, 1566, 1578, 1591, 1601, 1614, 1617, 1621, 1624, 1646, 1658, 1660, 1676 and 1683 are included under the topic Early Everest History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Everest Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Devereaux, Deverall, Deverell, Deverill, Devreux and many more.

Early Notables of the Everest family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William Devereux of Bodenham (c. 1315-1367), High Sheriff of Herefordshire (1362-1372); Sir Walter Devereux of Bodenham (c. 1339-1383), High Sheriff of Herefordshire (1374-1376); Walter Devereux (1411-1459) was Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1449 to about 1451; Walter Devereux (son of Walter Devereux), jure uxoris 7th Baron Ferrers of Chartley (c.1431-1485), was a minor member of the English peerage, a loyal supporter of the Yorkist cause during the Wars of the Roses, was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field and his son, John Devereux, 8th Baron Ferrers of Chartley (1463-1501)...
Another 97 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Everest Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Everest family to Ireland

Some of the Everest family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Everest migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Everest or a variant listed above:

Everest Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • George Everest, who landed in New York in 1833 [6]
  • Mary Everest, aged 38, who arrived in America from Glasgow, in 1892
  • Mrs Everest, aged 29, who arrived in America, in 1894
  • H. B. Everest, aged 55, who arrived in America, in 1895
  • Mrs. C.M. Everest, aged 30, who arrived in America from Hamilton, Bermuda, in 1897
Everest Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Janet A. Everest, aged 38, who arrived in America from London, in 1903
  • Agnes P. Everest, who arrived in America, in 1903
  • C. M. Everest, who arrived in America, in 1904
  • Charles L. Everest, aged 66, who arrived in America, in 1904
  • Sophie Everest, aged 39, who arrived in America from London, in 1904
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Everest migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Everest Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Caroline Everest, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1858
  • Mr. William Everest, (b. 1838), aged 20, English porter from Surrey travelling from London aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1859 [7]
  • Miss Charlotte Everest, (b. 1848), aged 19, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship "Glenmark" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th November 1867 [8]
  • Miss Emma Everest, (b. 1847), aged 19, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 5th January 1867 [8]

Contemporary Notables of the name Everest (post 1700) +

  • Sir George Everest CB FRS FRAS FRGS (1790-1866), Welsh surveyor and geographer, from Crickhowell, Brecknockshire, Surveyor General of India (1830-1843), eponym of Mount Everest [9]
  • Erica Everest (b. 1972), born Debbie DeSilva, American actress
  • General Frank Fort Everest (1904-1983), American Commander-in-Chief of the US Air Forces in Europe (1957-1959) [10]
  • Josiah T. Everest, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Clinton County, 1855 [11]
  • F. F. Everest, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Iowa, 1912 [11]
  • Clark Everest, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1944 [11]
  • Barbara Everest (1890-1968), English actress, known for her roles in Gaslight (1944), El Cid (1961) and The Uninvited (1944)
  • Mark Everest, British BAFTA Award nominated director and writer, known for Universe (1999), Hidden Scrolls of Herculaneum (2000) and Wizards vs. Aliens (2012)
  • Aremuorin Anthony Everest, British Jazz Soul Award Winning Indie Singer-Songwriter, author and producer
  • Timothy Everest MBE (b. 1961), Welsh bespoke tailor and designer


The Everest 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: Virtutis comes invidia
Motto Translation: Envy is the companion of virtue.


  1. 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)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  5. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
  6. 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)
  7. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  8. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  9. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
  10. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, February 29) Frank Everest. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Everest/Frank_Fort/USA.html
  11. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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