De vere History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

De vere is a name whose history on English soil dates back to the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066. The De vere family lived in Essex, but the family can trace their roots much farther back. They were originally from Ver, near Bayeux, Normandy where it was from the local form of this place-name, de Ver. Their surname literally translates as from Ver. 1

"No prouder name than De Vere has graced the annals of our English baronage; none has been borne by a longer succession of Earls; none has been more magnificently extolled, or more eloquently lamented. Its very sound is aristocratic, and carries with it the memory of its 567 years of nobility." 2

Early Origins of the De vere family

The surname De vere was first found in Essex where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. In the Domesday Book, 3

Aubrey (Albericus) de Vere (died c. 1112) was a tenant-in-chief in England of William the Conqueror in 1086 and progenitor of the Earls of Oxford. He was one of the great landowners of England and held his castle from the King at Hedingham in Essex. He also held Kensington a suburb of London. 4

The first Earl of Oxford was Aubrey de Vere, (c. 1115-1194.) His son Robert de Vere (c. 1165-1221), 3rd Earl of Oxford was hereditary Master Chamberlain of England and was one of the guarantors of Magna Carta. This line of earls continued until Aubrey de Vere, 20th Earl of Oxford (1627-1703.) Lavenham, Suffolk, became the home of the family of the Earls of Oxford.

"The church was rebuilt in the reign of Henry VI., partly by the De Veres, earls of Oxford, who resided here, and partly by the family of Spring, wealthy clothiers. The entrance is by a porch, supposed to have been erected by John de Vere (1442-1513), the fourteenth earl of Oxford, and much enriched; over the arch is a finely-sculptured double niche, and on each side of the niche are three escutcheons, each bearing quartered coats of arms of the De Vere family." 5

Early History of the De vere family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our De vere research. Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1212, 1338, 1385, 1400, 1408, 1417, 1462, 1482, 1499, 1516, 1526, 1540, 1550, 1562, 1575, 1593, 1604, 1625, 1627, 1632 and 1703 are included under the topic Early De vere History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

De vere Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include DeVere, DeVera, Dever, Devere, Vere, Ver, Vaire and many more.

Early Notables of the De vere family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford, who was made Marquess of Dublin in 1385 by King Richard II; Aubrey de Vere, 10th Earl of Oxford (c. 1338-1400); Richard de Vere, 11th Earl of Oxford (1385?-1417); John...
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford (1550-1604), was a poet, and dramatist; Henry de Vere, 18th Earl of Oxford (1593-1625), was an English aristocrat, courtier and soldier; Robert de Vere, 19th Earl o...

Migration of the De vere family to Ireland

Some of the De vere 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.

De vere migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name De vere or a variant listed above:

De vere Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Chas. H. Devere, aged 30, who landed in America from Tyrone, in 1893
George Devere, aged 22, who landed in America, in 1893

De vere Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mildred Devere, aged 22, who landed in America, in 1906
Caroline Devere, aged 52, who immigrated to the United States, in 1910
George Devere, aged 21, who immigrated to the United States from London, in 1910
Flora Devere, aged 28, who immigrated to America, in 1910
Lewis R. Devere, aged 30, who settled in America, in 1912
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name De vere (post 1700) +

Pearl de Vere (1862-1897), known as the "soiled dove of Cripple Creek", an American prostitute and brothel owning madam of the American Old West; her brothel was called "The Old Homestead"
Harry De Vere (1870-1923), American silent film actor who starred in about 70 films until his death in 1923
Trish Van Devere (b. 1943), born Patricia Louise Dressel, an American Genie Award winning and Golden Globe nominated actress
Bob Devere (b. 1896), Irish-American boxer
Cecil Valentine De Vere (1846-1875), English chess player from London, winner of the first official British Chess Championship in 1866
Sir Aubrey "Hunt" de Vere (1788-1846), 2nd Baronet, an Anglo-Irish poet and landowner
Sir Stephen Edward De Vere (1812-1904), 4th Baronet, an Anglo-Irish Member of Parliament in the nineteenth century, elder brother of the poet Aubrey Thomas de Vere
Michael De Vere (b. 1976), Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, and 2000s
Aubrey Thomas de Vere (1814-1902), Irish poet and critic
Luke DeVere (b. 1989), Australian footballer for A-League side Brisbane Roar
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The De vere 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: Vero nihil verius
Motto Translation: Nothing truer than truth.

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.