Clervow History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Clervow was first found in Yorkshire in the North Riding where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Croft, held by Sir Hamon de Clervaux of the Castle of Clervaux in Anjou, originally of Rodez in Aquitaine, who is said to have been a follower of Count Alan le Roux of Brittany. Sir Hamon's banner of the golden saltire of Clevraux is shown behind the count as he is receiving the honor of Richmond from Duke William. He was not recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086, possibly an oversight, although he is shown on several of the rolls as being at the Battle of Hastings.