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Origins Available: |
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The Anglo-Saxon name Seffens comes from when the family resided in the county of Worcester. Seffens 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 Seffens 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 Seffens 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 Seffens research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1300 and 1675 are included under the topic Early Seffens History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Seffens include Severne, Severn, Seven, Sevens, Severin, Seffern, Sefferin and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Seffens Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: 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.