Show ContentsVery History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Very family

The surname Very was first found in Norfolk where "Osberno Verrer" witnesses a grant of the younger William de Albini, Earl of Arundel, of some land at Quiddenham in Norfolk to Reading Abbey; and about 1272 Robert and Roger le Verer, of Essex, occur in the Rotuli Hundredorum. Walkeline le Werreer gave the advowson of the church of Winfrith (afterwards Winfrith-Newburgh) to Glastonbury Abbey, between 1102 and 1120; which grant was confirmed by his nephew, William de Glastonia, and afterwards by Robert de Newburgh, who describes the two preceding benefactors as his "ancestors." 1

"Hamonis Verrarii " was one of the benefactors of St. Alban's Abbey that are alluded to in King John's confirmation charter. A family of the name long existed at Sandwich in Kent, where, within the altar rails of St. Mary's Church, and at the west end of the nave, "are memorials of many of the family of Verrier, of this town." 1

Early History of the Very family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Very research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1455, 1487, 1603, 1664 and 1685 are included under the topic Early Very History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Very Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Very have been found, including Verrer, Verrier, Verriour, Veryet, Verieur, Verry and many more.

Early Notables of the Very family

Distinguished members of the family include William Verrier, Mayor of Sandwich in 1664; and John Verrier one of the Cinque Port Barons elected to support the Royal Canopy at James II.'s coronation in 1685. The dress of...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Very Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Very Ranking

In France, the name Very is the 5,996th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 2


United States Very migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Very, or a variant listed above:

Very Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Very who was among the very first settlers arriving in the colonies, when he went to New England in 1647
  • Thomas Very, who landed in New England in 1647 3
  • Margaret Very who went to Maryland in 1676
Very Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Issac Very, who arrived in Virginia in the year 1700

Canada Very migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Very Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • William Very was 30 when he went to Toronto in 1871

New Zealand Very migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Very Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Charles Very, who landed in Nelson, New Zealand in 1842 aboard the ship Clifford
  • John Very, who landed in Nelson, New Zealand in 1842 aboard the ship Clifford

Contemporary Notables of the name Very (post 1700) +

  • Jones Very (1813-1880), American mystic
  • Edward Wilson Very (1847-1910), American ordnance expert
  • Joseph Very Quarles (1843-1911), American politician of the Republican Party who served as a United States Senator from Wisconsin
  • Joseph Very Quarles (1843-1911), American Republican politician, Mayor of Kenosha, Wisconsin, 1876-77; Member of Wisconsin State Senate, 1880-82; U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, 1899-1905 4
  • Very Rev. Fr. Thomas D Folan (1810-1874), Irish Dominican priest, King of the Claddagh


  1. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. 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)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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