Tivy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Tivy

What does the name Tivy mean?

The name Tivy was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the Norman personal name Tofig.

Early Origins of the Tivy family

The surname Tivy was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat from early times. "Tovus, otherwise known as Tovi, came to England with the Conqueror, and acquired several manors in Norfolk. The name is found in [the] Domesday [Book] as Tovi or Tovius." 1

Michael Tovy was Lord Mayor of London (1244-1245.)

Early History of the Tivy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tivy research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1692 and 1745 are included under the topic Early Tivy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tivy Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Tovey, Tovy and others.

Early Notables of the Tivy family

Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tivy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tivy family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Tivy or a variant listed above: Benjamin and Richard Tovey settled in Barbados in 1679 with their servants; Nathanial and John Tovey settled in Virginia in 1663.

Contemporary Notables of the name Tivy (post 1700) +

John A. Tivy, American politician, Member of California State Assembly 6th District, 1854-55 2

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 3) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html