Contents [hide]

Chivers History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Sources

Chivers History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Chivers

What does the name Chivers mean?

The Chivers surname is derived from the Anglo-Norman French word "chivere" or "chevre," meaning "goat." The Latin for a nanny goat "capra" has in the past been used interchangeably as the surname of some family lines of this name.

Early Origins of the Chivers family

The surname Chivers was first found in Devon. The first known ancestor of the name was Roger de Chievre and Petronilla living circa 1000 A.D. in a town in the south of Belgium called by that name. Roger's sons William Chievre and his brother Ralf de la Pommeraie, were companions of William the Conqueror in the invasion of England in 1066 and were given large estates in Devon. A William Chievre, 1 Capra was listed in the Domesday Book as holding land in both Devon and Wiltshire.

In Ireland, Sir William Chevre (living 1174) settled in County Wexford about the time of the Strongbow invasion and witnessed the foundation charter for Tintern Abbey, County Wexford. He was the progenitor of the family in Ireland. William Chevir, or Chevyr (died 1446) was a noted Irish politician and judge. His younger brother John Chevir or Chevyr (c. 1410-1474) was an Irish judge and politician who held the offices of Lord Chief Justice of Ireland and Master of the Rolls in Ireland, and was also one of the first recorded Speakers of the Irish House of Commons.

Early History of the Chivers family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chivers research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1186, 1296, 1327, 1463, 1614, 1637, 1690 and 1708 are included under the topic Early Chivers History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chivers Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Chever, Chevers, Chevercourt, Chevercot, Cheves, Chevys, Cheever, Cheevers, Chilvers, Chivers and many more.

Early Notables of the Chivers family

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

Chivers Ranking

In the United States, the name Chivers is the 11,729^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Chivers family to Ireland

Some of the Chivers family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 119 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chivers migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Chivers Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Michael Chivers, who landed in Maryland in 1678 3

Chivers Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Chivers, who settled in Virginia in 1774

Chivers Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Samson Chivers, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1868 3
Frederick Chivers, who arrived in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1882 3
A. Chivers, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States, in 1896

Chivers Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Ada Chivers, aged 21, who landed in America from Paulton, England, in 1914
Ada Chivers, aged 32, who settled in America from Hastings, England, in 1916
Ada Chivers, aged 38, who arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, in 1922
Albert Chivers, aged 22, who immigrated to the United States, in 1924

Chivers migration to Australia +

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

Chivers Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Richard Chivers, (b. 1799), aged 23, English convict who was convicted in Somerset, England for life for stealing, transported aboard the "Caledonia" in 19th June 1822, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1875 4
William Chivers, English convict from Gloucester, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on October 16, 1826, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 5
Mr. Henry Chivers, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Charles Kerr" on 6th June 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
Mr. James Chivers, (b. 1791), aged 52, English tailor who was convicted in Wells, Somerset, England for 10 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Cressy" on 28th April 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1875 7
Charles Chivers, English convict from Wiltshire, who was transported aboard the "Agincourt" on July 6, 1844, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Chivers 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:

Chivers Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Charles Chivers, (b. 1836), aged 23, English carpenter from Somerset travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th November 1859 9
Mrs. Annie Chivers, (b. 1837), aged 22, English settler from Somerset travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th November 1859 9
Mr. Benjamin Chivers, (b. 1838), aged 21, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Roman Emperor" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 26th January 1860 9
Mr. James Chivers, (b. 1825), aged 38, Cornish gardener from Cornwall travelling from London aboard the ship "Tiptree" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 20th January 1864 9
Mrs. Alice Chivers, (b. 1835), aged 28, Cornish settler from Cornwall travelling from London aboard the ship "Tiptree" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 20th January 1864 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Chivers (post 1700) +

Hugh J.H. Chivers, United States Antarctic Research Program upper atmosphere physicist at Byrd Station from 1962 to 1963, eponym of Mount Chivers, Antarctica
Thomas Holley Chivers (1809-1858), American physician and poet
Christopher John Chivers (b. 1964), American journalist and author for The New York Times
Stephanie Chivers (b. 1934), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Tennessee, 2004, 2008; Member of Republican National Committee from Tennessee, 2008 10
H. R. Chivers, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Alabama, 1896 10
Ian James Chivers (b. 1964), retired English cricketer who played from Hampshire from 1985 to 1987
Basil Chivers (b. 1939), English cricketer who played in the 1950s and 1960s
Martin Harcourt Chivers (b. 1945), English retired professional footballer who played from 1962 to 1983, member of the England National Team (1971-1973)
Gary "Chivey" Chivers (b. 1960), English former football defender whop played from 1978 to 1996
Francis Cornelius "Frank" Chivers (1909-1942), English professional footballer who played in the 1930s, killed in a mining accident in April 1942
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Chivers family +

HMS Hood

Mr. William A Chivers (b. 1911), English Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class serving for the Royal Navy from Barnsley, Yorkshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 11

The Chivers 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: En dieu est ma foy
Motto Translation: In God is my faith.

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
"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 30th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/caledonia
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Andromeda voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1826 with 147 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1826
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 1st February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/charles-kerr
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 21st May 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cressy
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 24) Agincourt voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1844 with 226 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/agincourt/1844
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm