Bevern History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Bevern

What does the name Bevern mean?

In the ancient German province of Westphalia, the surname Bevern evolved. It is a nickname, a style of hereditary surname that developed out of the traditional German eke-names, that identified people by naming them after a physical characteristic or other identifiable trait. Bevern is a name for a beautiful person having derived from the Old French words beu and bel, which mean fair or lovely, and veir or voir, which mean to see. In the 8th and 9th centuries, the French language was commonly spoken in the German states. While the court of Charlemagne (742-814) was Latin-speaking, Frankish dialects of Old German and Old French were still quite commonly used.

Early Origins of the Bevern family

The surname Bevern was first found in Westphalia, where the name was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. The family originated in the county of Dassel (princedom of Goettingen). The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs. The founding father of the many succeeding branches of the family is usually taken to be Clemens von Bevern, who lived around 903 A.D. The ancestral seat of the family is often taken to be the manor Bevern located in the Warendorf district of Muenster, which the family acquired in 1134. Other chronicles suggest that Clemens von Bevern founded the castle Bevern in the Holzminden district of the duchy of Brunswick, and that this is the true ancestral seat.

Early History of the Bevern family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bevern research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1107, 1679, 1700, 1732 and 1833 are included under the topic Early Bevern History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bevern Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Bevern include Bever, Bewer, Bevver, Beverr, Bevere, Beverre, Bevers, Bevvers, Bevvere, Bevern and many more.

Early Notables of the Bevern family

The Baron Ernst von Bevern was a Canon and scholar in Osnabrueck in 1700, the Baron Hermann von Bevern served as a colonel and political advisor in the Trier government, and the Baron Sebastian von Be...

Migration of the Bevern family

For many Germans, emigration to North America was an inviting alternative to the trials of life in the old country. From the mid-17th into the present century, thousands of Germans migrated across the Atlantic. They capitalized on the chance to escape poverty and persecution, and to own their own land. After 1650, Germans settled throughout the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also landed in Canada, settling in Ontario or father west on the rich land of the prairies. Among them: Isack Bever, age 24, who settled in Virginia in 1635; Jacob Bever arrived in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1732; Peter Bevere came to Philadelphia in 1806.