Keevil History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Keevil was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Keevil family lived in the place named Keevil in the county of Wiltshire. 1 The name was originally spelled Chivele in the Domesday Book and claim descent from the Normans. According to the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae, Hais, Peter, Robert Cauvel were of Normandy, 1198; and William, Ranulph, and Gohier Caval were there 1180-1195. 2

The territory of Chivele in ancient England including two mills, was granted to Anulf de Hesdine, who was a Norman Baron originally from Pas de Calais, in the canton of Hesdin. Hesdine was a tenant-in- chief in Keevil. 3

Early Origins of the Keevil family

The surname Keevil was first found in Hampshire where Keevil, Keevill, Kevill, Kivill all descend from Hugh de Chiuilli c.1110 in Winton. Later in Dorset, William de Keuill was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1203 and Elias de Kivili was found in the Curia Regis Rolls for Kent in 1205. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included an entry for John Kewel in Oxfordshire 4 and in Somerset, William de Kiwell was registered there, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 5

Early History of the Keevil family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Keevil research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1620, 1751 and 1969 are included under the topic Early Keevil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Keevil Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Keevill, Keville, Kevell and others.

Early Notables of the Keevil family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Keevil of Wiltshire

Migration of the Keevil family to Ireland

Some of the Keevil family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Keevil migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Keevil or a variant listed above:

Keevil Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Peter Keevil, who settled in North America in 1853

Contemporary Notables of the name Keevil (post 1700) +

Gladice Georgina Keevil (1884-1959), British suffragette who served as head of the Midlands office of the Women's Social and Political Union between 1908 and 1910

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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.