Olver History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The Olver surname in Britain is derived from the Old French name "Olivier", a baptismal name originally derived as "son of Oliver." One of Charlemagne's paldins better know as one of the Twelve Peers made the name popular and thus gave it the knightly sound. The Breton variant "Olier" was very popular. 1

"Both as a baptismal name and a surname, was probably imported from France, where it was long associated with romantic literature. The Domesday of Devonshire presents us with a tenant called Oliver, in the modern orthography." 2

"The French Olivier, recorded in 1011, was at first southern and later became common through the influence of the Chanson de Roland. Dauzat takes it as symbolic, from olivier 'an olive branch', the emblem of peace. This can hardly be the origin of the name of the peer of Charlemagne which is probably Teutonic." 3

Early Origins of the Olver family

The surname Olver was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where Oilverus was recorded (no county was provided in the entry.) 4 As a forename, Oliuerus de Vendouer was recorded in Lincolnshire (1149-1162.) 3

Later in Cornwall and the West country, Jordan Oliver, Olivier was on record in the Assize Rolls of Somerset in 1201, and in the Pipe Rolls for Cornwall in 1204. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Peter filius Oliver in Oxfordshire. 5

The barton of Treneere in the parish of Madern, Cornwall was sold alienated by the family of Oliver in the year 1768, to which family it had belonged a considerable time prior to that period. 6

Early History of the Olver family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Olver research. Another 243 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1206, 1260, 1275, 1327, 1463, 1532, 1545, 1556, 1571, 1582, 1601, 1617, 1679, 1692, 1695, 1706 and 1771 are included under the topic Early Olver History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Olver Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Oliver, Olivier, Ollivier, Olliver and others.

Early Notables of the Olver family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Oliver, dean of King Henry VIII's College at Oxford (1532-1545); Thomas Oliver (c. 1601-1679), the second husband of Bridget Bishop, who on 10 June...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Olver Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Olver family to Ireland

Some of the Olver family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Olver migration to Australia +

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

Olver Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Olver, (b. 1822), aged 22, Cornish settler convicted in Cornwall, UK on 1st August 1835, sentenced for 14 years for stealing broad cloth from the shop of James Symons, transported aboard the ship "Recovery" on 26th October 1835 to New South Wales, Australia 7
Mr. Jonathan Olver, (b. 1816), aged 23, Cornish boot maker, from Boconnoc, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Amelia Thompson" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 27th September 1839 8
Mr. Albert Olver, (b. 1870), aged 19, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Jumna" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 12th December 1889 9

Contemporary Notables of the name Olver (post 1700) +

Peter J. Olver (b. 1952), American professor of mathematics, fellow of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics in 2014
John Walter Olver (b. 1936), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts (1991-2013)
Frank William John "W. J." Olver (1924-2013), English-born, American mathematician, emeritus professor of mathematics at the Institute for Physical Science and Technology and Department of Mathematics at the University of Maryland
John Olver (b. 1961), English former international rugby player who played for England, Northampton Saints and Harlequins
Ian Olver AM (b. 1953), Australian medical oncologist, cancer researcher and bio-ethicist, former chief executive officer of Cancer Council Australia
Wing Commander Peter Olver (1917-2013), British World War II flying ace from Royal Leamington Spa, England
Mark Olver (b. 1988), Canadian professional ice hockey player
John Olver (b. 1958), Canadian ice hockey player and coach from North Burnaby, British Columbia
Jeff Olver (b. 1960), Australian footballer, member of the Football Federation Australia-Football Hall of Fame
Fergie Olver, Canadian gameshow host and sports broadcaster from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

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.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_convicts.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_bounty_nsw.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_queensland.pdf