Keever History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Keever surname is thought to have derived from an Old Norse personal name Ivarr of uncertain origin. It became a given name in Ireland, Scotland and Wales before becoming a hereditary surname.
Early Origins of the Keever family
The surname Keever was first found in Dumbartonshire. The first on record was "Douenaldus filius Makbeth mac Ywar was one of the perambulators of the boundary between the lands of Arnbroath Abbey and the barony of Kynblathmund, 1219." 1
Early History of the Keever family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Keever research. Another 296 words (21 lines of text) covering the years 1292, 1479, 1488, 1499, 1541, 1562, 1563, 1621, 1622, 1638, 1640, 1644, 1659, 1890 and 1931 are included under the topic Early Keever History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Keever Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: MacIver, MacIvor, MacCure, MacEure, MacUre and many more.
Early Notables of the Keever family
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Keever Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Keever Ranking
In the United States, the name Keever is the 9,550th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2
Migration of the Keever family to Ireland
Some of the Keever family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Keever migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Keever Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- John Keever, who landed in New Jersey in 1761 3
Keever Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Hu Keever, who landed in New York, NY in 1812 3
- James M Keever, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1866 3
Contemporary Notables of the name Keever (post 1700) +
- William Keever (b. 1974), American sport shooter at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Jack Keever (1938-2004), American journalist and author
- Patsy Keever (b. 1947), American politician, President of the North Carolina Association of Educators
- Wesley C. Keever, American politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates 1st District, 1871 4
- John S. Keever, American politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates 1st District, 1869 4
- Duffy Keever, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 2004 4
The Keever 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: Numquam obliviscar
Motto Translation: I will never forget.
Citations +
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html