|
![Show Contents]() Devany History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Devany is one of the many new names that came to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Devany family lived in Leicestershire. The family was originally from Abene, where they held a castle, near Louvaine, Normandy, and it is from the local form of that name, D'Abene which means from Abene, that their name derives. Another important English house of the same name comes from Aubigny, Brittany. Their name is of identical local derivation. 1 Early Origins of the Devany familyThe surname Devany was first found in Leicestershire at Belvoir, a village and civil parish in the Melton district. Belvoir literally means "beautiful view" derived from the Old French words bel + vedeir. 2 Another source is more specific: "Amongst the most distinguished companions in arms of the Conqueror was Robert de Todeni, a nobleman of Normandy, upon whom the victorious monarch conferred, with numerous other grants, an estate in the county of Lincoln upon the borders of Leicestershire. Here De Todeni erected a stately castle, and from the fair view it commanded, gave it the designation of Belvoir Castle, and here he established his chief abode. He died in 1088, and was succeeded by his eldest son William, who assumed the surname of Albini or Aubeney, and acquired great renown at the celebrated Battle of Tenercheby, in Normandy, where, commanding the horse, he charged the enemy with so much spirit that he determined at once the fate of the day. " 3 It was here that William d'Aubigny (Brito) (d. after 1148), was an itinerant justice under King Henry I of England and was granted the lands where he built Belvoir Castle, which is now a restored stately home. He fought at the Battle of Tinchebray (1106) and was in favor of King Henry I. His grandson, William d'Aubigny or D'Aubeney or d'Albini, Lord of Belvoir (died 1236) was High Sheriff of Warwickshire and Leicester and High Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire in 1199. 1 Wymondham or Windham in Norfolk was an early family seat. "This town derives its name from the Saxon Win Munde Ham, signifying 'a pleasant village on a mount;' and is indebted for its importance to the foundation of a priory of Black monks, at first a cell to the abbey of St. Alban's, by William d'Albini or Daubeny, in 1130." 4 To the south in the parish of Lanteglos, Cornwall, "the manor of Polruan belonged to the Daubeny family, to whose interest it was indebted for its market, from the year 1291 to 1420; after which it passed to the Molins, and was then inherited by Lord Hungerford." 5 Early History of the Devany familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Devany research. Another 156 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1109, 1150, 1167, 1176, 1193, 1203, 1221, 1224, 1264, 1305, 1342, 1371, 1386, 1403, 1451, 1494, 1507, 1548, 1670 and 1707 are included under the topic Early Devany History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Devany Spelling VariationsAnglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Daubeney, Daveney, Dabney, Daubeny, Debney, Dalbini, Dibney, Dybney, Dobney, Daughby, Dawbeney, Dawby and many more. Early Notables of the Devany familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Giles Daubeny or Daubeney, 1st Baron Daubeney KG (1451-1507), an English soldier, diplomat, courtier and politician. He was "descended from the ancient Norman family of de Albini, whose ancestor Robert de Todeni came to England with the Conqueror and built Belvoir Castle...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Devany Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Devany migration to the United States | + |
Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Devany name or one of its variants:
Devany Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Agnes Devany, aged 35, who immigrated to the United States from Ireland, in 1893
Devany Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Bridget Devany, aged 19, who landed in America from Sligo, in 1906
- Cecelia Devany, aged 55, who settled in America from Sligo, Ireland, in 1908
- Henry Devany, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States from Sligo, Ireland, in 1908
- Bridget Devany, aged 30, who immigrated to America from Kilkelly, Ireland, in 1909
- Bernard Devany, aged 26, who landed in America from Guileen, Ireland, in 1913
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Devany migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Devany Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century- Anne Devany, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1827
| Devany migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Devany Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Mr. Martin Devany, (b. 1826), aged 18, Irish gardener who was convicted in Galway, Ireland for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 9th April 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
- John Devany, born in Ireland, who arrived in Melbourne, Australia aboard the ship "Chance" from Liverpool, England in 1852
| Contemporary Notables of the name Devany (post 1700) | + |
- Bob Devany (1915-1997), American College football coach with the University of Nebraska
- Ed Devany, American playwright and screenwriter
- Joseph A. Devany, American politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1980; Republican Candidate for Judge of Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, 1992 7
- John A. Devany Jr. (b. 1899), American Democratic Party politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Bronx County 8th District, 1930-44; Constitutional Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 25th District, 1944 7
- Guy DeVany, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from South Dakota, 1948 7
- Daniel J. Devany, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1952 7
- D. C. DeVany, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from South Dakota, 1932 7
- The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cadet/
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 16) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
|
Devany migration to the United States 
Devany migration to Canada 
Devany migration to Australia 
England
Ireland
