Savary History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

The name of the Savary family is derived from the given name Savaric, an Old German name formed from the elements sav, with an uncertain meaning, and ric, which meant powerful. The name came to England with the Bretons who accompanied Duke William of Normandy when he invaded and conquered England in 1066. The Bretons came from Brittany, a French province located on a peninsula on the northwest coast of France. Formerly known as Armorica, a possession of the Roman Empire, this land consists of a plateau with a deeply indented coast and is broken by hills in the west. However, the region was renamed Britannia Minor by the Romans, following the emigration of six thousand Britons across the English Channel, an event which took place at the behest of the Roman Commander in Britain.

Early Origins of the Savary family

The surname Savary was first found in Devon where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Savary family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Savary research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1614, 1643, 1650, 1698 and 1715 are included under the topic Early Savary History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Savary Spelling Variations

Since the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules, Breton surnames have many spelling variations. Latin and French, which were the official court languages, were also influential on the spelling of surnames. The spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules. Therefore, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England after the Norman Conquest, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. The name has been spelled Savory, Savery, Savary and others.

Early Notables of the Savary family

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

Savary Ranking

In France, the name Savary is the 502^nd most popular surname with an estimated 8,937 people with that name. 1

Savary migration to the United States +

Investigation of immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Savary:

Savary Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Savary, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 2
John Savary, who landed in Virginia in 1658 2

Savary Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Anne Savary, who settled, at the age of 38 in New Orleans in 1785

Contemporary Notables of the name Savary (post 1700) +

Peter John de Savary (1944-2022), British businessman from Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, Chairman of Millwall F.C..
Anne Jean Marie René Savary (1774-1833), 1st Duc de Rovigo, French general and diplomat
Anne Jean Marie René Savary Duke of Rovigo, French Divisional General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 3
Anne Jean Marie René Savary, Duke of Rovigo, French Divisional General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 4
Admiral André Daniel Savary (b. 1743), French naval officer
Charlotte Savary (b. 1979), French female singer and songwriter
Robinson Savary (b. 1969), French Film director, screenwriter, and photographer
Gilles Savary (b. 1954), French politician and former Member of the European Parliament
Alfred William Savary (1831-1920), Canadian politician, Nova Scotia member of the 1st Canadian Parliament for Digby (1867-1874)
Félix Savary (1797-1841), French astronomer
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Savary 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: Aut vita libera aut mois gloriosa
Motto Translation: A life of freedom, or a death of glory.

Citations +

http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) Anne Savary. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, September 11) Anne Savary. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html