Geve History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The origins of the name Geve are from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the baptismal name for the son of Geoffrey. "The Yorkshire Poll Tax contains endless references to Jeff, or Geff, or Gep; v. Gipp and Jeffs and Jephson. No wonder therefore that corrupted forms have come down to us; v. Geeves, where the Yorkshire instances will be found clearly explained." 1

However, another source claims the name was originally Norman as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists Peter de Cheef (Jeffs), Normandy, 1180-95. 2

Early Origins of the Geve family

The surname Geve was first found in Somerset where Thomas Jeve was the first recording of the family, I Edward III (during the first year's reign of King Edward III.) 3

Early History of the Geve family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Geve research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1279, 1349, 1369 and 1578 are included under the topic Early Geve History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Geve Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Geve family name include Jeeves, Jeeve, Jeves, Jeve, Geeves, Geeve, Geve and many more.

Early Notables of the Geve family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Richard Geves, a prominent 13th century landholder in Oxfordshire

Migration of the Geve family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Geve surname or a spelling variation of the name include: John Jeeves, who sailed to Virginia in 1654.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.