| ![Show Contents]() Shivis History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
Etymology of ShivisWhat does the name Shivis mean? The age-old Scottish surname Shivis was first used by the Strathclyde-Briton people. The Shivis family lived in the old barony in the parish of Tarves, Aberdeenshire. The name Shivis comes from Gaelic seamhas, meaning "a narrow place in a river." Early Origins of the Shivis familyThe surname Shivis was first found in Tarves, Aberdeenshire. Some of the earliest records of the family include: John Chivas, who had a safe conduct to study at Oxford in 1393, and William Shivas, who was a Physician and Astrologer, Archbishop of St. Andrews in 1477. Later, John Scheves was forgiven on a charge of murder in 1526. 1 William Schevez or Schives (died 1497) was "Archbishop of St. Andrews, is supposed to have descended from a family that adopted the name from the estate of Schevez in Aberdeenshire. One John de Schevez was clerk to James I in 1426, and may have been the patron through whose influence William Schevez was introduced to the court." 2 Early History of the Shivis familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shivis research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1647, 1648, 1759, 1801, 1843 and 1850 are included under the topic Early Shivis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Shivis Spelling VariationsIn Medieval times, spelling and translation were not nearly so highly developed as today. They were generally carried out according to the sound and intuition of the bearer. For that reason spelling variations are extremely common among early Scottish names. Shivis has been spelled Shivas, Shives, Chivas, Shivis, Shivez, Shivers, Shevas and many more. Early Notables of the Shivis familyAnother 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shivis Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Shivis family to IrelandSome of the Shivis family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Shivis familyUnrest, poverty, and persecution caused thousands to look for opportunity and freedom in the North American colonies. The crossing was long, overcrowded, and unsanitary, though, and came only at great expense. Many Strathclyde families settled on the east coast of North America in communities that would form the backbone of what would become the great nations of the United States and Canada. The American War of Independence caused those who remained loyal to England to move north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the 20th century, Strathclyde and other Scottish families across North America began to recover their collective heritage through highland games and Clan societies. Among them: Samuel Shiva who was on record in Boston Massachusetts in 1651; Richard Shevers, who was in the records of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1694; James and Henry Shivers, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1847.
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: Virtute non vi
Motto Translation: By virtue not by force.
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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