Cheever History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:

England

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The Cheever surname is derived from the Anglo-Norman French word "chivere" or "chevre," meaning "goat." The Latin for a nanny goat "capra" has in the past been used interchangeably as the surname of some family lines of this name.

Early Origins of the Cheever family

The surname Cheever was first found in Devon. The first known ancestor of the name was Roger de Chievre and Petronilla living circa 1000 A.D. in a town in the south of Belgium called by that name. Roger's sons William Chievre and his brother Ralf de la Pommeraie, were companions of William the Conqueror in the invasion of England in 1066 and were given large estates in Devon. A William Chievre, 1 Capra was listed in the Domesday Book as holding land in both Devon and Wiltshire.

In Ireland, Sir William Chevre (living 1174) settled in County Wexford about the time of the Strongbow invasion and witnessed the foundation charter for Tintern Abbey, County Wexford. He was the progenitor of the family in Ireland. William Chevir, or Chevyr (died 1446) was a noted Irish politician and judge. His younger brother John Chevir or Chevyr (c. 1410-1474) was an Irish judge and politician who held the offices of Lord Chief Justice of Ireland and Master of the Rolls in Ireland, and was also one of the first recorded Speakers of the Irish House of Commons.

Early History of the Cheever family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cheever research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1186, 1296, 1327, 1463, 1614, 1637, 1690 and 1708 are included under the topic Early Cheever History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cheever Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Chever, Chevers, Chevercourt, Chevercot, Cheves, Chevys, Cheever, Cheevers, Chilvers, Chivers and many more.

Early Notables of the Cheever family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Ezekiel Cheever (1614-1708) English-born, immigrant to America in 1637 and became a schoolmaster, and the author of probably the earliest American school book, "Accidence, A Short Introduction to the...

Cheever Ranking

In the United States, the name Cheever is the 10,647^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Cheever family to Ireland

Some of the Cheever family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 119 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cheever migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Cheever Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Bartholomew Cheever, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1637 3
Ezekiel Cheever, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts aboard the ship "Hector", bound for New Haven, Connecticut in 1637 3
Daniel Cheever, who landed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1647 3
Ezekiel Cheever, who landed in New England in 1680 3

Cheever Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Capt. Cheever, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 3
Eliza Cheever, aged 32, who arrived in New York in 1862 3
James Cheever, aged 6, who landed in New York in 1862 3
John Cheever, aged 4, who landed in New York in 1862 3
Thomas Cheever, aged 2, who arrived in New York in 1862 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cheever migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Cheever Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Israel and Susanna Nichols Cheever, who settled in Nova Scotia in 1722

Contemporary Notables of the name Cheever (post 1700) +

Ellen Cheever (1949-2021), American interior designer and kitchen historian
Edward McKay "Eddie" Cheever (b. 1958), American racing driver who raced for almost thirty years in Formula One, Sports cars, CART and the Indy Racing League
John William Cheever (1912-1982), American short-story writer/novelist who won the 1979 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award
Vernon A. Cheever, American Republican politician, Member of Colorado State Senate, 1950 4
Silas W. Cheever, American politician, Mayor of Ottawa, Illinois, 1861-62 4
Samuel S. Cheever, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Rensselaer County, 1828 4
Robert Cheever, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wyoming, 1972 4
Noah W. Cheever, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for Mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1888; Prohibition Candidate for Governor of Michigan, 1898; Prohibition Candidate for Justice of Michigan State Supreme Court, 1902 4
Lyle E. Cheever, American politician, Mayor of Brookings, South Dakota, 1952-54 4
Henry Martyn Cheever (b. 1832), American Republican politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives from Wayne County 1st District, 1899-1900 4
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Cheever 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: En dieu est ma foy
Motto Translation: In God is my faith.