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This surname "occurs in many languages; but the only instance of it which I recollect in England is that of the monk, Willelmus cognomento Diabolus. The French De Ville, naturalized amongst us, has often been misunderstood to be the synonym of Satan, and various vowel changes have been made by the bearers of it to avoid this very objectionable notion. Hence it is commonly written Divall, Divoll, Devall, &c., while in records Devol, Devile, Deyvil, &c., are found." 1
One source notes: "they were from Deville or Davidville in Neufchatel in Normandy." 2 3
The surname Doval was first found in Sussex where "the first mention we meet with regarding the descendants of this knight is in the reign of henry I. when Nigel de Albini, being enfeoffed by the crown of the manor of Egmanton, Notts, conferred it upon Robert D'Eivill, who appears to have been ancestor of John D'Eivill, Governor of York Castle, a potent Baron of the time of Henry III., and one of the most active against the Royal Cause. " 4
Early English rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used through Medieval times. Robert de Durevill was listed in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1201; Hugh Durival was found in Eynsham, Oxfordshire in 1300; Sibill Doryual was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1332. 5
A search through the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 discovered early entries without the "D" prefix: Nicholas de Eyvill in Nottinghamshire; and John de Eyville also in Nottinghamshire. 6
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Doval research. Another 195 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1107, 1577, 1603, 1650, 1662, 1683, 1713, 1877 and 1883 are included under the topic Early Doval History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling variations of this family name include: Daivile, Daiville, Darville, Daivilla, Darvall, Darvill, Davell, Davall, Dovalle, De Vall, d'Vall, Deyville, Deville, Devill, Devil, Deyville and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Doval Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.