Beverr History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Beverr

What does the name Beverr mean?

In the ancient German province of Westphalia, the surname Beverr 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. Beverr 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 Beverr family

The surname Beverr 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 Beverr family

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

Beverr Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Beverr include Bever, Bewer, Bevver, Beverr, Bevere, Beverre, Bevers, Bevvers, Bevvere, Bevern and many more.

Early Notables of the Beverr family

Johann Gottfried von Beveren, who became an imperial knight in 1679. The Baron Ernst von Bevern was a Canon and scholar in Osnabrueck in 1700, the Baron Hermann von Bevern served as a...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beverr Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Beverr family

Many Germans emigrated across the Atlantic to seek better lives in North America. This great migration began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century. Resettlement was particularly attractive to those from Westphalia as a means of escape from poverty and religious persecution. For many Westphalian farmers, the chance to own one's own land was also a major incentive. The process of the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlements centered around Ontario and the Prairie provinces. 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.