Ovendean History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Ovendean surname is a habitational name, taken on from any of various places named Ovington, such as in Durham and in Northumberland.

Early Origins of the Ovendean family

The surname Ovendean was first found in Essex at Ovington, a parish, in the union of Risbridge, hundred of Hinckford. 1 Ovington can also be found in Norfolk, Northumberland, Southampton, Durham and the North Riding of Yorkshire.

The place names are generally first listed in Saxon times or at the time of the Domesday Book in 1086. The oldest was found in Northumberland where it was listed as Ofingadun (699-705) and for the most part, the place name meant "estate associated with a man called Ufa," from the Old English personal name + "-ing" + "tun." 2

The Domesday Book, lists the following variants: Ouituna (Essex) and Ulfeton (Durham.) Ovington, Norfolk was listed as Uvinton in 1202.

Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Brictrwulf from Richard Fitzgilbert a Norman Baron who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. One of the first records of then name was Roger of Hoveden, or Howden (fl. 1174-1201), who was an English chronicler and is believed to have been from Howden in the East Riding of Yorkshire. He went on the Third Crusade with Richard I of England, joining him in Marseille in August 1190.

Early History of the Ovendean family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ovendean research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1174, 1190, 1201, 1571, 1582, 1583, 1614 and 1625 are included under the topic Early Ovendean History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ovendean Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Ovington, Offington, Ovenden, Ofington, Offenden, Ovendean, Offendean, Hovenden, Hoffington, de Offington, de Ovington and many more.

Early Notables of the Ovendean family

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ovendean Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ovendean family to Ireland

Some of the Ovendean family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 93 words (7 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 Ovendean family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Mary Ovington, who arrived in Maryland in 1666; Eduard Hovenden, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1775; John Hovendon, who came to Nova Scotia in 1787; John Ovington, who came to Philadelphia in 1813.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)