Vivien History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Vivien

What does the name Vivien mean?

The notable Vivien family arose among the Cornish People, a race with a rich Celtic heritage and an indomitable fighting spirit who inhabited the southwest of England. While surnames were well-known during the English medieval period, Cornish People originally used only a single name. The way in which hereditary surnames came into common use is interesting. As the population of medieval Europe multiplied, people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Patronymic surnames were derived from given names and were the predominant type of surname among the Celtic peoples of Britain. However, the people of Cornwall provide a surprising exception to this rule, and patronymic surnames are less common among them than other people of Celtic stock, such as their Welsh neighbors. This is due to the greater influence of English bureaucracy and naming practices in Cornwall at the time that surnames first arose. This type of surname blended perfectly with the prevailing Feudal System. One feature that is occasionally found in Cornish surnames of this type is the suffix -oe or -ow; this is derived from the Cornish plural suffix -ow. is a patronymic surname that came from the ancient Latin given name Vivianus, which itself comes from the Latin word vivus, meaning alive. One source notes that the "Vyvians of Truro are derived by certain genealogists from one Vivianus Annius, a Roman general, son in law to Domitius Corbulo!" 1

Early Origins of the Vivien family

The surname Vivien was first found in Cornwall where the family has held a large estate named Trelowarren in the village of Mawgan-in-Meneage since 1427.

The Halliggye Fogou at Trelowarren is the largest fogou in Cornwall. Sir Richard Vyvyan referenced the fogou at Halligey, Trelowarren in his journals. In 1982, the site was excavated after routine ploughing of the field, breached the roof of the main chamber. This hole has since been turned into an entrance stairway for visitors.

The first record of the surname was "Sir Vyel Vyvyan, Knight, who lived in the 13th century, and whose descendant John, having married an heiress of Ferrers, succeeded to the lordship of Trelowarren in the reign of Edward IV. " 2

The lands and castle of St. Mawes, Cornwall were once held by Michael Vivian, Esq. of Trelowarren, who was made the first governor of this fortress. Another source claims that "in the reign of Elizabeth, it was sold to Hannibal Vyvyan, Esq. of Trelowarren. But whatever doubts may arise as to the exact time when these lands came into the Vyvyan family, it is certain that they retained it for several generations, until the days of Charles II. when Sir Wyell Vyvyan is said to have sold the land on which the castle stands, and the annexed estate, to John Earl of Bath, by whom it was again transferred to Sir Joseph Tredenham." 3

Early History of the Vivien family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Vivien research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1545, 1575, 1601, 1607, 1610, 1613, 1635, 1640, 1644, 1660, 1665, 1681, 1724, 1727, 1736 and 1772 are included under the topic Early Vivien History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Vivien Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and 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 of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Vivian, Vey, Vye, Vyse and others.

Early Notables of the Vivien family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Hannibal Vyvyan (1545-1610), of Trelowarren in Cornwall, an English Member of Parliament, High Sheriff of Cornwall in 1601,Vice Admiral of South Cornwall from 1601 to 1607; Sir Francis Vyvyan (1575-1635), of Trelowarren in Cornwall, an English Member of Parliament; Sir Richard Vyvyan, 1st Baronet (c.1613-1665), an English politician who sat in the...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Vivien Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Vivien Ranking

In France, the name Vivien is the 1,319^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,296 people with that name. 4

Migration of the Vivien family

An examination into the immigration and passenger lists has discovered a number of people bearing the name Vivien: Charles Vye, a master ship builder who settled in Trinity, Newfoundland, in 1787; George Vey settled in St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1803; Bastian Vey settled in Philadelphia in 1740.

Contemporary Notables of the name Vivien (post 1700) +

Vivien Leigh (1913-1967), Lady Olivier, born Vivian Mary Hartley, and English two-time Best Actress Academy Award winning actress, best known for playing "southern belles": Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939) and Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Vivien Alcock (1924-2003), English writer of children's books
Mrs. Vivien Rosemary Lumsdaine Wallace Coleman M.B.E., appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to the Theatre, to Arts Education and the community in London 5
Vivien Garry (d. 2008), American jazz bassist who led the Vivien Garry Quintet and later the led the Vivien Garry Trio
Vivien Heilbron (b. 1944), Scottish actress, born in Glasgow, known for The Moonstone (1972), Kidnapped (1971) and Target (1977)
Ms. Vivien Foster O.B.E., British Co-Founder for Merchant Navy Association, was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to the Merchant Navy Association 5
Vivien Kellems (1896-1975), American industrialist who founded Kellems Cable Grips in 1927, inventor, public speaker, and political candidate, a fervent supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment
Vivien Dale Victoria Lumsden (b. 1952), Scottish newsreader on the Scottish TV (STV Central) news programme
Vivien Hollis Ph.D.,, Canadian Professor & Chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Alberta
Dame Vivien Louise Duffield (b. 1946), British socialite and philanthropist

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists