Show ContentsIvon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient Anglo-Saxon surname Ivon came from the baptismal name Evand a Welsh personal name for John The surname Ivon referred to the son of Evand which belongs to the category of patronymic surnames. In Old English, patronyms were formed by adding a variety of suffixes to personal names, which changed over time and from place to place. For example, after the Norman Conquest, sunu and sune, which meant son, were the most common patronymic suffixes. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the most common patronymic names included the word filius, which meant son. By the 14th century, the suffix son had replaced these earlier versions. Surnames that were formed with filius or son were more common in the north of England and it was here that the number of individuals without surnames was greatest at this time.

Early Origins of the Ivon family

The surname Ivon was first found in Cambridgeshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Ivon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ivon research. Another 206 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1500, 1691 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Ivon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ivon 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 Ivon family name include Ivens, Ivone, Ivones, Iveans, Ivinges, Ivinson and many more.

Early Notables of the Ivon family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Peter fil Ivone, a prominent 13th century landholder in Cambridgeshire


United States Ivon migration to the United States +

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 Ivon surname or a spelling variation of the name include:

Ivon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Anna Ivon, aged 24, arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "La Gascogne" from Le Havre, France 1
Ivon Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Nita Ivon, aged 28, arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Principissa Christiana" from Braeila, Roumania 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Ivon (post 1700) +

  • David Ivon Gower OBE (b. 1957), former British cricketer, captain of the England cricket team in the 1980s
  • Ivon Hitchens (1893-1979), English painter, member of the 'London Group' of artists


The Ivon 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:
Motto Translation: Love and friendship.


  1. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result


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