Davinny History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Davinny is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the family once having lived near a body of water derived from the Old English word that means deep waters.

Early Origins of the Davinny family

The surname Davinny was first found in Sussex where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Davinny family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Davinny research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Davinny History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Davinny Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Davinny family name include Devenish, Devonish, Devanay, Devenay, Deveney, Devenney, Devenny, O'Devanny, O'Devenish, O'Devonish and many more.

Early Notables of the Davinny family

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

Migration of the Davinny family to Ireland

Some of the Davinny family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Davinny family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Davinny surname or a spelling variation of the name include: John Devenish who settled in Barbados in 1680 with his wife, two children, and servants; another John settled in New England in 1678; Hugh, Daniel, John, Michael, Samuel, Thomas, and William Devenney, all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1870..

The Davinny 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: Spero et captivus nitor
Motto Translation: I hope, and though a captive I strive.