Show ContentsDerfield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

This surname "occurs in many languages; but the only instance of it which I recollect in England is that of the monk, Willelmus cognomento Diabolus. The French De Ville, naturalized amongst us, has often been misunderstood to be the synonym of Satan, and various vowel changes have been made by the bearers of it to avoid this very objectionable notion. Hence it is commonly written Divall, Divoll, Devall, &c., while in records Devol, Devile, Deyvil, &c., are found." 1

One source notes: "they were from Deville or Davidville in Neufchatel in Normandy." 2 3

Early Origins of the Derfield family

The surname Derfield was first found in Sussex where "the first mention we meet with regarding the descendants of this knight is in the reign of henry I. when Nigel de Albini, being enfeoffed by the crown of the manor of Egmanton, Notts, conferred it upon Robert D'Eivill, who appears to have been ancestor of John D'Eivill, Governor of York Castle, a potent Baron of the time of Henry III., and one of the most active against the Royal Cause. " 4

Early English rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used through Medieval times. Robert de Durevill was listed in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1201; Hugh Durival was found in Eynsham, Oxfordshire in 1300; Sibill Doryual was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1332. 5

A search through the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 discovered early entries without the "D" prefix: Nicholas de Eyvill in Nottinghamshire; and John de Eyville also in Nottinghamshire. 6

Early History of the Derfield family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Derfield research. Another 195 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1107, 1577, 1603, 1650, 1662, 1683, 1713, 1877 and 1883 are included under the topic Early Derfield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Derfield Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Daivile, Daiville, Darville, Daivilla, Darvall, Darvill, Davell, Davall, Dovalle, De Vall, d'Vall, Deyville, Deville, Devill, Devil, Deyville and many more.

Early Notables of the Derfield family

More information is included under the topic Early Derfield Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Derfield family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..



  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
  4. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
  5. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  6. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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