Avis History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Avis surname is derived from the Middle English/Old French given name Avice of uncertain origins, but interestingly one source noted that it is from "the personal name Avice, Latinized Avitius, found before 1086. (Domesday Book)." 1

Early Origins of the Avis family

The surname Avis was first found in Southeast England. There is a record of a person called "Auicia" in Parish records of St. Benet of Holme, Norfolk in circa 1175-86; and another of this name in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1199. Ricardus filius Avice was on record in the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire in 1332. 2

Early History of the Avis family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Avis research. Another 38 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1524, 1674, 1709, 1736, 1752 and 1770 are included under the topic Early Avis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Avis Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Avis, Avison, Aviss and others.

Early Notables of the Avis family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Charles Avison (1709-1770) English, Baroque composer...

Avis Ranking

In the United States, the name Avis is the 13,590^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Avis 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:

Avis Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

James Avis, aged 26, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Sir Charles Forbes" in 1842
Ann Avis, aged 26, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Sir Charles Forbes" in 1842
Martha Avis, aged 3, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Sir Charles Forbes" in 1842

Contemporary Notables of the name Avis (post 1700) +

Warren Edward Avis (1915-2007), American entrepreneur who founded Avis Rent A Car in 1946, inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame
Samuel Brashear Avis (1872-1924), American soldier during the Spanish-American War, who became the U.S. Representative from West Virginia 3rd District (1913-1915)
William H. Avis, American Republican politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Hamden, 1908 4
John Hitchner Avis (1845-1933), American Republican politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Cumberland County, 1881 4
John Boyd Avis (1875-1944), American Republican politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Gloucester County, 1902-05; Member of New Jersey State Senate from Gloucester County, 1906-08 4
J. D. Avis (b. 1862), American politician, Member of Texas State House of Representatives 111th District, 1923-29 4
Paul Avis (b. 1947), English Anglican priest, theologian and ecumenist
Mr. Robert Anthony Avis M.B.E., British recipient of Member of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018, for services to the community in Guildford, Surrey 5
Mr. Gary Christopher Avis M.B.E., British Ballet Master and Principal Character Artist for the Royal Ballet of London, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018, for services to Dance and to charity in Suffolk 5
Meiert Avis, Irish Grammy Award winning music video and commercial director
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists