Show ContentsDewys History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Dewys

What does the name Dewys mean?

The name Dewys was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Dewys family lived in Devon. This family was originally from Douai, near Lille, Normandy, and it is from this location that their surname derives.

Early Origins of the Dewys family

The surname Dewys was first found in Devon where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Dewys family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dewys research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dewys History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dewys Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Dewey, Dewy, Dewye and others.

Early Notables of the Dewys family

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


Dewys migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Dewys or a variant listed above:

Dewys Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Ludwig Dewys, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1743 1
Dewys Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Cornelis DeWys, aged 31, who immigrated to the United States, in 1918
  • Louise Dewys, aged 37, who landed in America from Manchester, England, in 1922


  1. 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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