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Savory History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Savory History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name of the Savory family is derived from the given name Savaric, an Old German name formed from the elements sav, with an uncertain meaning, and ric, which meant powerful. The name came to England with the Bretons who accompanied Duke William of Normandy when he invaded and conquered England in 1066. The Bretons came from Brittany, a French province located on a peninsula on the northwest coast of France. Formerly known as Armorica, a possession of the Roman Empire, this land consists of a plateau with a deeply indented coast and is broken by hills in the west. However, the region was renamed Britannia Minor by the Romans, following the emigration of six thousand Britons across the English Channel, an event which took place at the behest of the Roman Commander in Britain.

Early Origins of the Savory family

The surname Savory was first found in Devon where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Savory family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Savory research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1614, 1643, 1650, 1698 and 1715 are included under the topic Early Savory History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Savory Spelling Variations

Since the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules, Breton surnames have many spelling variations. Latin and French, which were the official court languages, were also influential on the spelling of surnames. The spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules. Therefore, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England after the Norman Conquest, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. The name has been spelled Savory, Savery, Savary and others.

Early Notables of the Savory family

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

Savory Ranking

In the United States, the name Savory is the 17,155^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Savory migration to the United States +

Investigation of immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Savory:

Savory Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Savory, aged 25, who landed in Virginia in 1635 2
Thomas Savory, who arrived in New England in 1640 2
Anthony Savory, who landed in New England in 1640 2
Mary Savory, who landed in Virginia in 1656 2
Fridishwith Savory, who arrived in Maryland in 1658 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Savory Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Anne Savory, aged 38, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1785 2

Savory migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Savory Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Jerome Savory, English convict who was convicted in Dorset, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Bardaster" on 7th September 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3
Henry B. Savory, aged 30, a clerk, who arrived in Kangaroo Island aboard the ship "Buffalo" in 1836 4
Eliza Savory, aged 24, who arrived in Kangaroo Island aboard the ship "Buffalo" in 1836 4
James Savory, English convict from Norfolk, who was transported aboard the "Anna Maria" on March 6, 1848, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 5
Hannah Savory, aged 18, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Frenchman"

Savory migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Savory Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

William Savory, aged 29, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Edward P Bouverie" in 1873 6
Sarah Savory, aged 5, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Edward P Bouverie" in 1873 6
Margaret A. Savory, aged 28, a servant, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "Dallam Tower" in 1875
Catherine Savory, aged 26, a servant, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "Dallam Tower" in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name Savory (post 1700) +

Henry Savory (b. 1914), English cricketer
Mr. Jeffery Howard Savory O.B.E., British recipient of Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018, for services to Disability Sport 7
Brett Alexander Savory (b. 1973), Canadian writer
Hubert Newman Savory (1911-2001), British archaeologist specializing in the prehistory of Wales
Sir Reginald Savory (1894-1980), British Indian Army officer (Lieutenant-General)
Sir William Scovell Savory (1826-1895), British surgeon, created 1st Baronet Savory

The Savory 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: Aut vita libera aut mois gloriosa
Motto Translation: A life of freedom, or a death of glory.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bardaster
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HMS BUFFALO 1836. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1836Buffalo.htm
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anna Maria voyage to Van Diemen's Land or Port Phillip, Australia in 1848 with 190 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anna-maria/1848
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 4th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists