Govord History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

The lineage of the name Govord begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived at the court, a phrase which may have indicated either a large mansion or a tribunal. The prefix A was often dropped by the 13th century, when many branches of the family became known as Court. Some historians have suggested that certain variations of the name may be nicknames derived from the Old French and Old English word curt, meaning short or truncated. However, time has confused the different derivations, and it is now extremely difficult to tell which is appropriate to a given family or situation.

Early Origins of the Govord family

The surname Govord was first found in "Covert or Couert, Normandy, [who] held by the service of 1 fee of the barony or Braiose [Briouze]." ^[1] William de Braose (Briouze), First Lord of Bramber (died c. 1096) was granted extensive lands in Sussex by William the Conqueror. Accordingly, the Govord family held lands from him in Sussex. In 1107, William de Cuvert witnessed the foundation charter of Barnstaple and years later William Guvert (Cuvert) held a fee of ancient enfeoffment from William de Courcy in Somerset. ^[1]

Important Dates for the Govord family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Govord research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Govord History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Govord Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Govord has undergone many spelling variations, including A'Court, Court, Courte, Couert, Covert, Courtie, Courts and many more.

Early Notables of the Govord family (pre 1700)

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

Migration of the Govord family to Ireland

Some of the Govord 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.

Migration of the Govord family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. 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 Govord were among those contributors: Richard Court who settled in Virginia in 1637.

Citations

1. ^ 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)