Danver History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Danver was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Danver family lived in Norfolk. "William Denvers, evidently one of the Conqueror's adherents, occurs in the Norfolk Domesday; and genealogists assert that a Roland D'Anvers assisted at the Conquest. " 1

They were originally from Anvers, Belgium, which is the French form of the name of the city of Antwerp. 2

Early Origins of the Danver family

The surname Danver was first found in Norfolk where "this name, taken from the town of Anvers, was born by Roland D'Anvers, who came thence to the conquest of England. He was ancestor of the families of D'Anvers or Culworth, raised to the degree of baronets in 1642, of D'Anvers of Dantsey, ennobled under the title of Danby, and D'Anvers of Horley." 3

Early census records revealed Ralph de Anuers, Danuers in the Pipe Rolls of Berkshire in 1230. 2 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Ralph de Anvers in Oxfordshire. 4

Early History of the Danver family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Danver research. Another 55 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1428, 1459, 1460, 1504, 1545, 1568, 1573, 1588, 1601, 1624, 1630, 1643, 1655, 1659, 1660, 1668, 1674 and 1725 are included under the topic Early Danver History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Danver Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Danver have been found, including Danvers, D'Anvers, Denvers, Denver, Danver, Danvis and many more.

Early Notables of the Danver family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

John Danvers, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University (1459-1460)
William Danvers SL JP (1428-1504), a British judge
Sir John Danvers (1588-1655), an English politician, one of the signatories of the death warrant of Charles
Sir Charles Danvers (c. 1568-1601), an English soldier who plotted against Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth Danvers née Neville, later Elizabeth Carey (c. 1545-1630), an English noblewoman
Robert Danvers also Wright, Howard and Villiers (1624-1674), English illegitimate child who held at least four different surnames who became a politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1659 and 16...
Henry Danvers, 1st Earl of Danby, KG (1573-1643), an English soldier, one time outlaw who later became a Knight of the Garter

Migration of the Danver family to Ireland

Some of the Danver family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Danver migration to the United States +

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Danver were among those contributors:

Danver Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Patrick Danver, who arrived in New York in 1822 5
James Danver, who arrived in New York in 1824 5
Richard Danver, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1840 5

The Danver 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: Forte en loyalte
Motto Translation: Brave in loyalty.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, 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)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)