Toovey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Today's generation of the Toovey family bears a name that was brought to England by the wave of emigration that was started by the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the Norman personal name Tofig.
Early Origins of the Toovey family
The surname Toovey 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.)
Early History of the Toovey family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Toovey research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1692 and 1745 are included under the topic Early Toovey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Toovey Spelling Variations
Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Toovey have been found, including Tovey, Tovy and others.
Early Notables of the Toovey family
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Toovey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Toovey migration to the United States +
For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Toovey were among those contributors:
Toovey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- John Toovey, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1682 2
Toovey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Maggie Toovey, aged 13, who immigrated to the United States, in 1893
Toovey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- William Toovey, aged 66, who immigrated to the United States, in 1913
- Doris Isabel Toovey, aged 29, who landed in America from Alverstoke, England, in 1923
- Ernest H. Toovey, aged 53, who immigrated to America from Jersey, Channel Islands, in 1923
- Marjorie M. Toovey, aged 32, who landed in America, in 1923
- Mary Gertrude Toovey, aged 61, who settled in America from Alverstoke, England, in 1923
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Toovey migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Toovey Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
- Cyril Toovey, aged 26, who immigrated to Granthorn, Canada, in 1913
- Cyril Guy Toovey, aged 27, who settled in St. Catharines, Canada, in 1914
- John Dover Toovey, aged 30, who immigrated to Battle Lake, Canada, in 1914
Toovey migration to New Zealand +
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:
Toovey Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Mr. John Toovey, (b. 1839), aged 25, British sawyer travelling aboard the ship "Amoor" arriving in Lyttleton, South Island, New Zealand on 1st July 1864 3
- Mrs. Phillipa Toovey, (b. 1839), aged 25, British settler travelling aboard the ship "Amoor" arriving in Lyttleton, South Island, New Zealand on 1st July 1864 3
Contemporary Notables of the name Toovey (post 1700) +
- Shawn Toovey (b. 1983), American actor, best known for his role as "Brian Cooper" in the drama Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman for which he won four Young Artist Awards
- Andrew Toovey (b. 1962), English classical composer, recipient of the Tippett Prize and Terra Nova Prize
- Ernest Albert Toovey MBE, OAM (1922-2012), Australian cricketer and baseball player
- Alan Toovey (b. 1987), Australian rules footballer
- Geoffrey "Geoff" Toovey (b. 1969), Australian rugby league coach and former professional player
Citations +
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- 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)
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html