Clevenger History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Clevenger

What does the name Clevenger mean?

The Anglo-Saxon name Clevenger comes from when its first bearer worked as a person who worked with wood. The surname is derived from the Old English word cleofan which means to cleave or split. 1 2 The variant Clevenger was derived from the occupation "as one who cleaves wood."

Two sources postulate that the name could also have originated from "a dweller on a cleave or cliff." 3 1

Early Origins of the Clevenger family

The surname Clevenger was first found in Norfolk where Simon le Claver, was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 4 Later, Agnes le Claver and John le Claver were both listed in Norfolk in 1333 5 In London, the source Rotuli Litterarum Clausarum in Turri Londinesi lists Henry le Claver and John le Clavier.

In Sussex, Richard and John le Cleuar were listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1332. 1

Early History of the Clevenger family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Clevenger research. Another 162 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1332, 1379, 1742, 1746, 1784, 1785, 1787, 1790, 1800, 1806, 1815 and 1819 are included under the topic Early Clevenger History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clevenger Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Clevenger include Cleever, Cleaver, Clever, Kleever, Kleaver, Cleevar, Cleavar, Cliver, Cleiver, Clivar, Cleevor, Clearvor, Cleevare, Clevenger, Kleevare, Cleavare, Kleavare and many more.

Early Notables of the Clevenger family

Notables of this surname at this time include: William Cleaver (1742-1815), Bishop of St. Asaph, the eldest son of the Rev. W. Cleaver, master of a private school at Twyford in Buckinghamshire, and was the elder brother of Archbishop Cleaver. Cleaver became tutor to the Marquis of Buckingham. He was successively made vicar of Northop in Flintshire, prebendary of Westminster (1784)...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Clevenger Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clevenger Ranking

In the United States, the name Clevenger is the 2,439^th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Clevenger family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Clevenger or a variant listed above: Henry Cleaver who settled in Barbados in 1680 with his servants; Thomas Cleaver settled in Maryland in 1775; Charles Cleaver settled in New England in 1744.

Contemporary Notables of the name Clevenger (post 1700) +

Dale Clevenger (1940-2022), American musician from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Principal Horn of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1966 until his retirement in June, 2013
Vern Clevenger (b. 1955), noted American climber and landscape photographer
Steven Scott Clevenger (b. 1986), American Major League Baseball catcher
Raymond Charles Clevenger (b. 1937), American jurist on the United States Court of Appeals
Cliff Clevenger (1885-1960), United States Representative from Ohio
Truman Eugene "Tex" Clevenger (b. 1932), former Major League Baseball relief pitcher
Zora G. Clevenger (1881-1970), American football, basketball, and baseball player, coach, and pioneering athletic director
Craig Clevenger (b. 1964), American author of contemporary fiction
Dr. John Clevenger, American Professor of Computer Science at California State University

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/