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| Origins Available: |
| | England |
The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change, including many immigrants with new names. Among these were the ancestors of the Dovey family, whose name comes from the Norman personal name Tofig.
The surname Dovey was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat from early times. "Tovus, otherwise known as Tovi, came to England with the Conqueror, and acquired several manors in Norfolk. The name is found in [the] Domesday [Book] as Tovi or Tovius." 1
Michael Tovy was Lord Mayor of London (1244-1245.)
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dovey research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1692 and 1745 are included under the topic Early Dovey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Tovey, Tovy and others.
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dovey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Dovey or a variant listed above: