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Origins Available: |
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The name Seavan is an old Anglo-Saxon name. It comes from when a family lived in the county of Worcester. Seavan is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. During the Middle Ages, as society became more complex, individuals needed a way to be distinguishable from others. Toponymic surnames were developed as a result of this need. Various features in the landscape or area were used to distinguish people from one another. In this case the original bearers of the surname Seavan were named due to their close proximity to the River Severn, the longest river in Great Britain. During the Roman occupation the Severn was known by the Latin name Sabrina. 1
The surname Seavan was first found in Worcestershire where John Seuarne was recorded as holding lands in the Subsidy Roll of 1327. Later in Gloucestershire, William Seuarne was listed in 1362. 2
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Seavan research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1300 and 1675 are included under the topic Early Seavan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Seavan were recorded, including Severne, Severn, Seven, Sevens, Severin, Seffern, Sefferin and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Seavan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Seavan family emigrate to North America: Charles Severin settled in Philadelphia in 1834; Samuel Severn settled in Maryland in 1774; Arthur Severne settled in Virginia in 1654; Benjamin Severn arrived in Philadelphia in 1813.