Elves History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Elves family

The surname Elves was first found in Nottinghamshire where the family name was first referenced in the 13th century when they held estates in that shire and held a family seat at Habelsthorp.

Later, evidence was found that some of the family moved to Throcking in Hertfordshire. "The church contains several monuments to the Elwes family, who formerly had a mansion here; one of the memorials, executed by Nollekens, is of very superior design." 1

Early History of the Elves family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Elves research. Another 175 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1096, 1234, 1455, 1476, 1487, 1504, 1510, 1547, 1600, 1615, 1628, 1629, 1640, 1657, 1677, 1679, 1684, 1685, 1687, 1690, 1698, 1706, 1713, 1714, 1717, 1722, 1750 and 1789 are included under the topic Early Elves History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Elves Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Elves include Elwes, Elwas, Elwish, Elwash, Elweys, Elway, Ellway, Elways, Ellway, Elwesh, Elway, Elwill, Elwiss and many more.

Early Notables of the Elves family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Gervase Elwes, of Woodford, Essex; and his son, Sir Gervase Elwes, 1st Baronet (1628-1706) was an English politician, Member of Parliament for Sudbury (1677-1679) and (1679-1684) and Suffolk 1679 and (1690-1698); Gervase Elwes (ca.1657-1687), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Sudbury (1679-1685); and Sir John Elwill, 1st Baronet (c. 1640-1717), an English aristocrat and politician.John Elwes of Meggott (1714â€“1789), miser, was born on 7 April 1714 in the parish of St. James, Westminster. His father, Robert Meggott (or Meggot), was a brewer in Southwark, son of George Meggott, M.P. for Southwark (1722â€“3), grandson...
Another 238 words (17 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Elves Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Elves migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Elves Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Elves, who landed in Virginia in 1637 2

The Elves 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: Deo non fortuna
Motto Translation: Through God not by chance.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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)