Show ContentsCollvarte History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Collvarte

What does the name Collvarte mean?

Collvarte is a name whose history on English soil dates back to the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The name Collvarte comes from a person who tended cattle. 1

"Calvert is a characteristic Yorkshire name, and is at present best represented in the Richmond district, but still survives in York. The Calverts, of Danby Wiske, were an old North Riding family. Sir George Calvert, the first lord of Baltimore and the first planter in Maryland, was from this stock." 2

Early Origins of the Collvarte family

The surname Collvarte was first found in Yorkshire where one of the first records of the name was Warin le Calvehird. The name was originally spelt Calbert or Caubert, having been derived from Abbeville, France and no doubt some of the family came to England during the Conquest and seen by David de Calvert holding lands by knight service in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire in 1203. 3

But Yorkshire would be the stronghold of the name as seen by the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listing: Johanna Calfhird; Johannes Calvehyrd; and Magota Calvehird who were all listed in that shire. 1

Further to the north in Scotland, "Johannes Calfhyrd witnessed confirmation of Snadoun to the Abbey of Dryburgh, c. 1350. William Calwart, notary public in Arnbroath, 1467, and another William Cauart in the regality of Arnbroath is mentioned, 1535." 4

Early History of the Collvarte family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Collvarte research. Another 227 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1269, 1404, 1563, 1567, 1579, 1601, 1605, 1606, 1611, 1624, 1628, 1632, 1637, 1647, 1669, 1675, 1679, 1688, 1715, 1734 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Collvarte History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Collvarte 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 Calvert, Calbert, Calverte, Calvart, Celvert, Kelvert, Kallvart, Kalvart, Callvert, Callbert, Cellvert, Calwert, Cavart, Cailvairt, Calwart and many more.

Early Notables of the Collvarte family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore, (1579-1632), 8th Proprietary Governor of Newfoundland, an English politician and colonizer, namesake of Baltimore, Maryland; Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore (1605-1675), an English peer, the first Proprietor and Proprietary Governor of the Province of Maryland, and ninth Proprietary Governor of the Colony of Newfoundland...
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Collvarte Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Collvarte family to Ireland

Some of the Collvarte family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 123 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Collvarte family

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 Collvarte or a variant listed above: George Calvert who settled in Maryland in 1634; along with Leonard Calvert; Edward Calvert settled in Virginia in 1653; Margaret Calvert settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1683.



The Collvarte Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fatti masghii parole femine
Motto Translation: Deeds are masculine, words feminine.


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  3. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  4. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook