Carvethe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The illustrious surname Carvethe finds its origin in the rocky, sea swept coastal area of southwestern England known as Cornwall. Although surnames were fairly widespread in medieval England, people were originally known only by a single name. The process by which hereditary surnames were adopted is extremely interesting. As populations grew, people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Lords and their tenants often became known by the name of the feudal territory they owned or lived on. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. This was due to the heavy political and cultural influence of the English upon the Cornish People at the time that surnames first came into use. Local surnames were derived from where a person lived, held land, or was born. While many Cornish surnames of this sort appear to be topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees, many are actually habitation surnames derived from lost or unrecorded place names. The name Carvethe is a local type of surname and the Carvethe family lived in Cornwall, at the village of Carveth.

Early Origins of the Carvethe family

The surname Carvethe was first found in Cornwall at Carverth or Carveth, an estate in the parish of Mabe. 1

The "barton called Carveth, was anciently the seat of the Carveths, one of whose ancestors had married Otho Penaluna. In the reign of Charles I. this estate was sold to Thomas Melhuish. This barton now belongs to the representative of the late J. Gwennap, Esq. of Falmouth." 2

"The barton of Casawis or Gosose, which was formerly a seat of the Carveths, was the birth place of Capt. Henry Carveth, a distinguished naval officer, in the reign of Charles II. His merit raised him to the rank of standing captain under the Earl of Ossory, for which post he received £300 per annum for life. He died about the year 1684, and was interred in Gluvias church with military honours." 2

Early History of the Carvethe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carvethe research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the year 1100 is included under the topic Early Carvethe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carvethe Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since 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, 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, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Carveth, Carvet, Carvethe and others.

Early Notables of the Carvethe family

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

Migration of the Carvethe family

An investigation of the immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Carvethe: S. Carvet who arrived in New Orleans in 1823; and James, John and Joseph Carveth, who were on record in the census of Ontario, Canada of 1871.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print