Provan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Provan surname is a habitational name, taken on from "the lands of Provan, formerly a possession of the prebendary of Barlanark, one of the canons of Glasgow cathedral. Provand is the vemacular for prebenda. A surname around Glasgow and also surname of a family long connected with Strathblane and Killearn. Richard de Prebenda who was clerk to William the Lion, is probably Richard de Prebenda, charter witness, c. 1190, 1200, and 1231." 1
Early Origins of the Provan family
The surname Provan was first found in Lanarkshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig) a former county in the central Strathclyde region of Scotland, now divided into the Council Areas of North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and the City of Glasgow, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the census rolls taken by the ancient Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.
"Robert surnamed de Prebenda was elected dean of Dunkeld, 1248 (Chron. Mail., s.a.), Adam de Prebenda was clerk to the king, 1263 (Pap. Lett., I, p. 389), and Robert de Prebenda was bishop of Dunblane, 1258-82. John de Prebenda was burgess of Glasgow, 1428 (LCD., p. 245), and Stephen Provand had a remission for his share in burning the town of Dunbretane, 1489." 1
Provan Hall (also known as Provanhall, Hall of Provan and 'Hall Mailings') is a historic place composed of two buildings built about the 15th century and situated in Auchinlea Park, Easterhouse, Glasgow. Originally known as "Hall of Provan," it was probably built in the same era as The Provand's Lordship of Glasgow in the same area, now a medieval historic house museum.
Early History of the Provan family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Provan research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1190, 1258, 1489, 1521, 1549, 1552 and 1723 are included under the topic Early Provan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Provan Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Provan, Provand, Provender, Proven and others.
Early Notables of the Provan family
Notable amongst the family at this time was
Provan migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Provan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Matthew Provan, who landed in Mississippi in 1823 2
- Thomas Provan who arrived in Philadelphia in 1890
Provan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Jane Provan, aged 28, who settled in America from Glasgow, in 1904
- Jeanie Provan, aged 2, who immigrated to the United States from Banton, Scotland, in 1910
- John Provan, aged 23, who immigrated to America from Banton, Scotland, in 1910
- David B. Provan, aged 42, who landed in America, in 1910
- Andrew Provan, aged 2, who settled in America from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1910
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Provan (post 1700) +
- Robert James Provan (1944-2006), American polio survivor, attorney at law who is most noted for his bringing the first lawsuit of its kind in the United States against an HMO on behalf of physician's using the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
- Andrew McKelvie Hughes "Drew" Provan (1944-2023), Scottish footballer who played as a winger in the Scottish Football League (1961-1976)
- David Provan (1941-2016), Scottish professional footballer and coach
- David Provan (b. 1956), Scottish footballer who played with Celtic and Scotland
- Davie Provan (b. 1956), former Scottish footballer
- Norman Douglas Somerville "Norm" Provan (1931-2021), Australian professional rugby league footballer and coach, nicknamed "Sticks", he was a second-row forward with the St George Dragons during the first ten of their eleven consecutive premiership-winning years, in 2018, he was inducted as the 13th Immortal of Australian rugby league
- Susan Mary Provan AO, Australian performing arts producer, director of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival since 1994
- Peter Provan (1936-2010), Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s
- Charles D. Provan (1955-2007), Christian theologian and author based in Monongahela
- Norm Douglas Somerville "Sticks" Provan (b. 1932), Australian rugby league player and coach, inducted as the 13th Immortal of Australian Rugby League in 2018
- ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
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)
- 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)