Denver History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Denver reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Denver family lived in Norfolk. "William Denvers, evidently one of the Conqueror's adherents, occurs in the Norfolk Domesday; and genealogists assert that a Roland D'Anvers assisted at the Conquest. " 1
They were originally from Anvers, Belgium, which is the French form of the name of the city of Antwerp. 2
Early Origins of the Denver family
The surname Denver was first found in Norfolk where "this name, taken from the town of Anvers, was born by Roland D'Anvers, who came thence to the conquest of England. He was ancestor of the families of D'Anvers or Culworth, raised to the degree of baronets in 1642, of D'Anvers of Dantsey, ennobled under the title of Danby, and D'Anvers of Horley." 3
Early census records revealed Ralph de Anuers, Danuers in the Pipe Rolls of Berkshire in 1230. 2 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Ralph de Anvers in Oxfordshire. 4
Early History of the Denver family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Denver research. Another 55 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1428, 1459, 1460, 1504, 1545, 1568, 1573, 1588, 1601, 1624, 1630, 1643, 1655, 1659, 1660, 1668, 1674 and 1725 are included under the topic Early Denver History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Denver Spelling Variations
Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Denver family name include Danvers, D'Anvers, Denvers, Denver, Danver, Danvis and many more.
Early Notables of the Denver family
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Danvers, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University (1459-1460); William Danvers SL JP (1428-1504), a British judge; Sir John Danvers (1588-1655), an English politician, one of the signatories of the death warrant of Charles I; Sir Charles Danvers (c. 1568-1601), an English soldier who plotted against Elizabeth I of England; Elizabeth Danvers née Neville, later Elizabeth Carey (c. 1545-1630), an English noblewoman; Robert Danvers also Wright, Howard and...
Another 73 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Denver Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Denver family to Ireland
Some of the Denver family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Denver migration to the United States +
To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Denver family to immigrate North America:
Denver Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Felix Denver and E. Denver, who landed in Baltimore in 1831
Contemporary Notables of the name Denver (post 1700) +
- John Denver (1943-1997), born Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr., American multi-award winning folk singer-songwriter, best known for his songs "Thank God I'm A Country Boy", and "Rocky Mountain High", inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (1996)
- Bob Denver (1935-2005), American actor, best known as Gilligan on TV's "Gilligan's Island"
- Matthew Rombach Denver (1870-1954), American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1896, 1908, 1912, 1924, 1928, 1932; Member of Ohio Democratic State Central Committee, 1902-03 5
- James William Denver (1817-1892), American politician, Representative from California at-large, 1855-57; Secretary of Kansas Territory, 1857-58; Governor of Kansas Territory, 1857-58, 1858, 1858 5
- John Denver Hore (1944-2022), better known by his stage name of John Grenell, a New Zealand country singer and songwriter
- Dallas Denver Bixler (1910-1990), American gymnast, Olympic champion at the 1932 Summer Olympics
- Private First Class Charles Denver Barger (1892-1936), United States Army soldier awarded the Medal of Honor
- Horace Denver Ridlon (b. 1876), American Republican politician, Member of Maine State House of Representatives from Penobscot County, 1919-20 6
- Scott Denver Scheid, American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, 2011 7
- Denver J. Stutler, American former secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation
The Denver 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: Forte en loyalte
Motto Translation: Brave in loyalty.
Citations +
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html