The name Bavan was brought to
England in the wave of migration that followed the
Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bavan family lived in
Suffolk, where soon after the
Norman Conquest, the village of Eston-Bavent was named after this illustrious family. Originally the name comes from the hamlet of
Bavant (Bavent) in the Caen region of Normandy.
Early Origins of the Bavan family
The surname Bavan was first found in
Suffolk, where the family gave its name to the village of Eston-Bavent after the Conquest. The name was originally associated with the hamlet of Bavent in the Caen region of France.
Early History of the Bavan family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bavan research.
Another 525 words (38 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1216, 1272, 1273, 1272, 1307, 1273, 1500, 1619 and 1626 are included under the topic Early Bavan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Bavan Spelling Variations
Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of
spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to
England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Bavent, Baven, Bavin, Bauvent, Bavvent, Bavant and many more.
Early Notables of the Bavan family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Bavan Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Bavan family to the New World and Oceana
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Bavan or a variant listed above: Mary Bavin who arrived in Virginia in 1650 and Thomas Bavin in 1750.