Baverley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancient history of the Baverley name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in Yorkshire. The Baverley family was originally found at the village and parish of Beverly, from which they took their name. Beverley, which literally means beaver stream, is located in the East Riding of Yorkshire. 1

Early Origins of the Baverley family

The surname Baverley was first found in Yorkshire. Undoubtedly, the first record of the name was John of Beverley (died 721), an East Anglian bishop. He was the Bishop of Hexham and then the Bishop of York. He went on to found the town of Beverley and building the first structure there, a monastery. John was associated with miracles during and after his lifetime, became a saint, canonized by the Catholic Church in 1037.

Leven in the East Riding of Yorkshire is another ancient family seat. "[Leven] is of considerable antiquity, a church being mentioned as existing here at the time of the Norman survey, when the manor was in the possession of the church of St. John de Beverley, which retained it till the Dissolution." 2

Philip Beverley or Ingleberd (fl. 1290), was an "Oxford benefactor, Rector of Kayingham, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, is said to have been 'the most subtle Aristotelian in Oxford.' " 3

John of Beverley (d. 1414), was "a Carmelite of great theological fame, doctor and professor of divinity at Oxford, was born at Beverley, in the East Riding of Yorkshire. He became a canon of St. John's, Church in that town, and from the few records left of him it appears that in 1367 he gave a chaplain and his successor forty acres of land in North Burton and Raventhorpe." 3

Early History of the Baverley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Baverley research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1374, 1605, 1668, 1673, 1705, 1722 and 1728 are included under the topic Early Baverley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Baverley Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Baverley include Beverley, Beverly, Baverlay, Beverlee, Beaverley, Beverle and many more.

Early Notables of the Baverley family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Robert Beverley, Jr. (1673-1722), American-born historian of early colonial Virginia, he is probably best known for his "Beverley's History...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Baverley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Baverley family to Ireland

Some of the Baverley 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.

Migration of the Baverley family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Baverley or a variant listed above: John Beverley who settled in New England in 1753; John Beverley settled in Maryland in 1732; William Beverley settled in New England in 1750; William Beverly settled in Maryland in 1747..

The Baverley 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: Ubi libertas ibi patria
Motto Translation: Where liberty prevails there is my country.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print