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Clover History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Clover History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Clover is rooted in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It was originally a name for someone who worked as a person who worked with wood. The surname is derived from the Old English word cleofan which means to cleave or split. 1 2 The variant Clevenger was derived from the occupation "as one who cleaves wood."

Two sources postulate that the name could also have originated from "a dweller on a cleave or cliff." 3 1

Early Origins of the Clover family

The surname Clover was first found in Norfolk where Simon le Claver, was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 4 Later, Agnes le Claver and John le Claver were both listed in Norfolk in 1333 5 In London, the source Rotuli Litterarum Clausarum in Turri Londinesi lists Henry le Claver and John le Clavier.

In Sussex, Richard and John le Cleuar were listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1332. 1

Early History of the Clover family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Clover research. Another 162 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1332, 1379, 1742, 1746, 1784, 1785, 1787, 1790, 1800, 1806, 1815 and 1819 are included under the topic Early Clover History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clover 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 Clover 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. The variations of the name Clover include Cleever, Cleaver, Clever, Kleever, Kleaver, Cleevar, Cleavar, Cliver, Cleiver, Clivar, Cleevor, Clearvor, Cleevare, Clevenger, Kleevare, Cleavare, Kleavare and many more.

Early Notables of the Clover family

Notables of this surname at this time include: William Cleaver (1742-1815), Bishop of St. Asaph, the eldest son of the Rev. W. Cleaver, master of a private school at Twyford in Buckinghamshire, and was the elder brother of Archbishop Cleaver. Cleaver became tutor to the Marquis of Buckingham. He was successively made vicar of Northop in Flintshire, prebendary of Westminster (1784)...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Clover Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clover Ranking

In the United States, the name Clover is the 8,210^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Clover 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 Clover or a variant listed above:

Clover Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mary Clover, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 7

Clover Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Peter Clover, who landed in New Jersey in 1766 7

Clover Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Isaac Clover, who landed in Texas in 1835 7

Clover migration to Australia +

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

Clover Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Henry Clover, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Charles Kerr" on 6th June 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Eliz Clover, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Prince Regent" in 1839 9
Robert Clover a carter, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Prince Regent" in 1839 9

Clover 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:

Clover Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Clover, aged 31, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bolton" in 1840
Harriet Clover, aged 29, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bolton" in 1840

Contemporary Notables of the name Clover (post 1700) +

James Clover (b. 1938), American sculptor from Iowa
Benjamin Hutchinson Clover (1837-1899), American politician, U.S. Representative from Kansas
Carol J. Clover (b. 1940), American professor of film studies, rhetoric language and Scandinavian mythology
Rear Admiral Richardson Clover (1846-1919), American officer of the United States Navy, eponym of Clover Bay and Clover Passage, Alaska
Joshua Clover (b. 1962), American poet, critic, journalist and author from Berkeley, California
Hershal Clover, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1980 10
Henry A. Clover (b. 1824), American politician, Delegate to Missouri State Constitutional Convention 29th District, 1865 10
Benjamin Hutchinson Clover (1837-1899), American politician, Representative from Kansas 3rd District, 1891-93 10
Peter Clover (b. 1952), English children's book author and illustrator
Sebastian "Seb" Clover (b. 1987), English one time record holder for the youngest person to sail across the Atlantic Ocean single-handed at the age of 15
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. 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)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
"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)
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 1st February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/charles-kerr
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PRINCE REGENT 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839PrinceRegent.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html