Goventray History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The ancestors of the bearers of the Goventray family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Coventry in the county of Warwick.

Early Origins of the Goventray family

The surname Goventray was first found in Warwickshire at Coventry. "In ancient records this place is called Coventre, and Conventrey, probably from the foundation of a convent, of which St. Osberg was abbess in the year 1016, when it was burnt by Canute, King of Denmark, and Edric the traitor, who, having invaded Mercia, destroyed many towns in Warwickshire. " 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Thomas de Coventre, Oxfordshire; and William de Covingtre, Oxfordshire while the Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I list Walter de Coventre, Lincolnshire, Henry III-Edward I. 2 The Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III lists Alexander de Coventre, Warwickshire, 20 Edward I (during the twentieth year of Edward I's reign.) 3

The early Scottish branch of the family claim descent from the county of Warwick, England. "Peter de Coventre rendered homage at Berwick, 1291. The earliest bearers of the name in Scotland appear to have been churchmen. Johannes de Couentre was a charter witness in Angus, 1344, and William de Couentre granted anew the church of Inhyrharyte (Inverharity) in the diocese of St. Andrews the following year." 4

Barons Coventry descend from John Coventry who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1426.

Early History of the Goventray family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Goventray research. Another 216 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1160, 1291, 1348, 1426, 1509, 1539, 1564, 1575, 1578, 1604, 1606, 1607, 1612, 1619, 1621, 1625, 1626, 1628, 1629, 1636, 1640, 1641, 1642, 1652, 1660, 1661, 1672, 1674, 1679, 1680, 1681, 1685, 1686, 1687, 1689 and 1699 are included under the topic Early Goventray History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Goventray 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 Goventray include Coventry, Coventrie, Coventre, Coventreye and many more.

Early Notables of the Goventray family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Thomas Coventry, 1st Baron Coventry (1578-1640), English lawyer, politician and judge, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal (1625); Thomas Coventry, 2nd Baron Coventry (1606-1661), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1626 and 1629, member of the House of Lords, supporter of the Royalist cause in the English Civil War; The Honourable Henry Coventry (1619-1686), an English politician, Secretary of State for the...
Another 75 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Goventray Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Goventray 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 Goventray or a variant listed above: Miles Coventrie who settled in St. Christopher in 1635; Joseph Coventry settled in Barbados in 1654; Charles settled in New England in 1769; Thomas settled in New England in 1732..

The Goventray 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: Candide et constanter
Motto Translation: Fairly and firmly.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)