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Carver History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Carver History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The many generations and branches of the Carver family can all place the origins of their surname with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name reveals that an early member worked as a wood-carver or sculptor. The former occupation was more common than the latter. Chaucer describes a wood-carver in the late 13th century "Knight's Tale", writing, "Ne purteyour, ne kerver of images."

The surname Carver is derived from the Old English word ceorfan, which means to cut or to carve. However, the surname Carver may also be derived from the occupation of a ploughman. In this case, the surname Carver is derived from the Old French words charuier and caruier, which both mean ploughman. 1

Early Origins of the Carver family

The surname Carver was first found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 where Adam le Karver was listed in Devon and Richard le Kerver was found in Lincolnshire. 2

Years later, the family was found much further to the north in Scotland where "payment was made to John Kerver, merchant of Scotland, 1476. Symon Karwur bound himself to the Abbey of Dunfermelyn in 1507 'for all and hail the dais of his lyfe that he sall remane and wirk in the abba in the craft of the wryt craft and repare all neidfull werkis of the samyn als far has he hafis knawlege' . Robert Carwor witnessed a precept of sasine at Scone, 1544." 3

Early History of the Carver family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carver research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1203, 1275, 1290, 1490, 1505, 1567, 1576, 1607, 1608, 1620, 1621, 1710 and 1780 are included under the topic Early Carver History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carver Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Carver were recorded, including Carver, Carvere, Carvar, Carever, Carber, Kerver and many more.

Early Notables of the Carver family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Robert Carver (1490-1567), Scottish Renaissance monk and composer of Christian sacred music
John Carver (c.1576-1621), was leader of the 'Pilgrim fathers,' an Englishman and agent of the English congregational church at Leyden in Holland. When he sailed in the Mayflower (1620) he was 'of goo...
Jonathan Carver (1710-1780), was an American explorer and writer, born at Stillwater, Connecticut, the son of William Joseph Carver of Wigan, Lancashire, captain in William III's army, who was rewarde...

Carver Ranking

In the United States, the name Carver is the 818^th most popular surname with an estimated 37,305 people with that name. 4

Carver migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Carver family emigrate to North America:

Carver Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Carver, who arrived in Plymouth in 1620 with wife and servant, on the "Mayflower" (they would become one of the distinguished families of the US), their history can be found in Burke's
Mrs. Katharine Carver, (nee White), (d. 1621), who arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620 aboard the ship "Mayflower" 5
Grace Carver, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1637
Richard Carver, who had sailed from Yarmouth in England in 1637 who had lived at Scratby, in Norfolk, in England. He settled in Watertown in Massachusetts
John, Elizabeth and Grace Carver, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1637
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Carver Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Ralph Carver, who landed in Virginia in 1701 5
Nicholas Carver, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1729 5
Jacob Carver, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1760 5

Carver Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Agner Carver, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 5
Agnes Carver, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 5
Michael Carver, aged 40, who landed in America in 1822 5
Patrick Carver, who arrived in Texas in 1835 5
James Carver, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1873 5

Carver migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Carver Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Edward Carver, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Mr. Caleb Carver U.E. born in Massachusetts, USA who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1778 6

Carver migration to Australia +

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

Carver Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Robert Carver, (b. 1793), aged 23, English convict who was convicted in London, England for life for breaking and entering, transported aboard the "Fame" on 9th October 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1884 7
Mr. Richard Chancellor Carver who was convicted in Somerset, England for life, transported aboard the "Circassian" on 4th November 1832, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
George Carver, aged 56, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Emigrant" 9

Carver 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:

Carver Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

W.R. Carver, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ambrosine" in 1858 10
Mr. Robert William Carver, (b. 1845), aged 22, British grocer travelling from London aboard the ship "Lancashire Witch" sailing to Auckland and Lyttelton, New Zealand on 29th July 1867 10
Mr. Richard Carver, (b. 1840), aged 35, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Helen Denny" arriving in Hawkes Bay, Napier, North Island, New Zealand on 20th September 1875 10
Mrs. Mary A. Carver, (b. 1843), aged 32, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Helen Denny" arriving in Hawkes Bay, Napier, North Island, New Zealand on 20th September 1875 10
Mr. William Carver, (b. 1864), aged 11, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Helen Denny" arriving in Hawkes Bay, Napier, North Island, New Zealand on 20th September 1875 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Carver (post 1700) +

Richard Ellison Carver (1937-2023), American politician, Mayor of Peoria, Illinois, from 1973 to 1984 and 16th United States Assistant Secretary of the Air Force from 1984 to 1988
Steve Carver (1945-2021), American film director, producer, and photographer, from Brooklyn, New York City
Raymond Carver (1938-1988), American short story writer and poet
Jeffrey Carver (b. 1949), American science fiction author
George Washington Carver (1864-1943), American botanist and inventor
Eber S. Carver, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1916
David K. Carver, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Alexandria, Indiana, 1869-70
Clifford N. Carver, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Maine, 1944
Christopher Kim Carver, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Louisiana, 2008
Benjamin Carver, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Herkimer County, 1839
... (Another 30 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Carver family +

Halifax Explosion

Mr. William Carver (1869-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 11

RMS Titanic

Mr. Alfred John Carver (d. 1912), aged 28, English Third Class passenger from Southampton, Hampshire who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 12

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 8th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/circassian
South Australian Register Wednesday 25th October 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Emigrant 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/emigrant1854.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html