Show ContentsSever History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Sever family

The surname Sever was first found in Somerset where the mononymous Seuare was a Knights Templar in 1185. The name was derived from the Old English woman's name for "sea passage."

A few years later in Suffolk, Sephare was registered at Bury St Edmunds in 1188 and Radulfus filius Sefare was later registered in 1221. As a forename Seuar' Boykin was listed at Ely, Suffolk in 1277. The Pipe Rolls for Cornwall listed William Seuare there in 1185 and Hugh Seuare was found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1285. In Bedfordshire, we found Walter Sefare in the Pipe Rolls for 1230. [1]

Again in Essex, Thomas Safare (Savare) was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls for 1327 and in Suffolk, William Sefare and Ralph Seffare were registered in the Subsidy Rolls for 1327. [1]

A scan through the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 revealed John le Severe in Huntingdonshire holding lands there at that time. [2] In Norfolk, Henry Sever was registered there in 1441. [3]

Early History of the Sever family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sever research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1279, 1327, 1427, 1440, 1471 and 1616 are included under the topic Early Sever History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sever Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Sever, Sevior, Sevyer, Seeviour, Siveyer, Sivier, Siver, Sivyer, Saviour, Saver, Seyvior, Sceviour, Scievor and many more.

Early Notables of the Sever family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Henry Sever (d. 1471), First Provost of Eton College and Warden of Merton...

Sever Ranking

In the United States, the name Sever is the 17,565th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [4]


United States Sever migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sever Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Robert Sever, who landed in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Mary & John" [5]
Sever Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Philop Sever, aged 23, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 [5]
  • Jacob Sever, who arrived in New York in 1761 [5]
  • Frederick Sever, who landed in Frederick County, Maryland in 1794 [5]
  • Nicholas Sever, who arrived in Frederick County, Maryland in 1795 [5]

Canada Sever migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sever Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • John Sever, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750

Contemporary Notables of the name Sever (post 1700) +

  • Eric John Sever (b. 1943), British former Labour Party politician, Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood (1977-1983)


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. 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)


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