Tovee History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Tovee

What does the name Tovee mean?

The name Tovee was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. Tovee is based on the Norman personal name Tofig.

Early Origins of the Tovee family

The surname Tovee 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 Tovee family

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

Tovee Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Tovee were recorded, including Tovey, Tovy and others.

Early Notables of the Tovee family

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

Tovee migration to the United States +

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Tovee arrived in North America very early:

Tovee Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Tovee, who landed in New York, NY in 1836 2

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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)