About us
What is the origin of the surname Hevey?
The earliest reference to the Hevey surname is of John Hevey born about 1232 in Kenmerton, Gloucestershire, England (Source:IGI Ancestral file no:N2CW-SS.) This is probably a Norman French instance of the name.
Hevey families in the US and Australia seem to be predominantly of Irish origin, but those in Canada are mainly French.
There were Heveys in England and Scotland in the 1600s, and 1700s who seem to have been of French origin, but this balance changed in the 19th Century where most Heveys in the United Kingdom seem to have come from Ireland.
Norman settlers arrived in England and Ireland in the 11th Century, and in the centuries following there was much mobility between England, Ireland and France. In particular the 16 and 17th Centuries saw an infulx Hugenot refugees named Hevey, Havey, Havie in England and Scotland. Records have not been found to show that there were Hugenot or Norman Heveys in Ireland, but it is perfectly feasible that there were.
Norman
Nicholas Deve Hevey, born about 1643 in Normandy, France. He emigrated to Canada and his descendants are among the French Canadian Heveys.
Norwegian
Norwegian settlers in the Unites States named Hæve became Havey to accord with American spelling patterns. The US 1880 Census also shows Havey families from Norway
Source: Norwegian-American Surnames {1}
By Marjorie M. Kimmerle (Volume XII: Page 1)
Norwegian-American Historical Association.
Irish Origin
The information below relates to the Irish origin and comes from Irish Surnames by Rev. P Wolfe, which is the most detailed explanation of the name’s origin that I have found to date.
Anyone bearing the surname Hevey has paternal Irish ancestry dating back to the 4th century AD, or earlier. The Gaelic surname O h Eimigh (of which O h Eamhaigh and O h Eamthaigh are variants) means grandson of Swift. It was anglicised as Hevey, Heavey, Heavy, Hevie, Heavie, Havey etc. O h means grandson of, and the name would have originally been pronounced O'Heevee, but the O was later dropped. O h Eimigh is probably short for O h Eimeachain, the name of a family belonging to the clan Cinel Fiachach in Co. Meath (q.v.), and a family of the clan Ui Fiachrach in Co. Mayo (q.v.).
Cinel Fiachach
A clan, the name of which means race of Fiachach, who was the son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, which was a branch of the clan Ui Neill (q.v.) whose territory extended from Birr to the Hill of Uiseneach in West Meath, Leinster.
Ui Fiachrach
A clan, the name of which means the grandsons of Fiachra, son of Eochaidgh Muighmheadhoin, a 4th century Irish king. Fiachra was a brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages, and father of King Dahy, the last Irish pagan monarch. The Ui Fiachrach were divided into two branches, the northern: Ui Fiachrach Muaidhe, seated in the present counties of Mayo and Sligo; and the southern: Ui Fiachrach Aidhne, seated in the south of the present Co. Galway, co-extensive with the Diocese of Kilmachduagh i Neill A large dominant clan, the name of which means grandson of Niall of the Seven Hostages, who was a powerful 4th century Irish king. The clan was
divided into two branches: the northern and southern Ui Neill. The chief clans of the northern Ui Neill whose territory lay in the present counties of Tyrone, Derry, Donegal, and northern Co. Sligo, were Cinel Eoghahain, Cinel Conaill, and Cinel Caibre; while those of the southern Ui Neill whose territory was co-extensive with the Diocese of Meath, were Clan Cholmain, Cinel Fiachach (q.v.) , and Fir Teathbha.
The earliest reference to the Hevey surname is of John Hevey born about 1232 in Kenmerton, Gloucestershire, England (Source:IGI Ancestral file no:N2CW-SS.) This is probably a Norman French instance of the name.
Hevey families in the US and Australia seem to be predominantly of Irish origin, but those in Canada are mainly French.
There were Heveys in England and Scotland in the 1600s, and 1700s who seem to have been of French origin, but this balance changed in the 19th Century where most Heveys in the United Kingdom seem to have come from Ireland.
Norman settlers arrived in England and Ireland in the 11th Century, and in the centuries following there was much mobility between England, Ireland and France. In particular the 16 and 17th Centuries saw an infulx Hugenot refugees named Hevey, Havey, Havie in England and Scotland. Records have not been found to show that there were Hugenot or Norman Heveys in Ireland, but it is perfectly feasible that there were.
Norman
Nicholas Deve Hevey, born about 1643 in Normandy, France. He emigrated to Canada and his descendants are among the French Canadian Heveys.
Norwegian
Norwegian settlers in the Unites States named Hæve became Havey to accord with American spelling patterns. The US 1880 Census also shows Havey families from Norway
Source: Norwegian-American Surnames {1}
By Marjorie M. Kimmerle (Volume XII: Page 1)
Norwegian-American Historical Association.
Irish Origin
The information below relates to the Irish origin and comes from Irish Surnames by Rev. P Wolfe, which is the most detailed explanation of the name’s origin that I have found to date.
Anyone bearing the surname Hevey has paternal Irish ancestry dating back to the 4th century AD, or earlier. The Gaelic surname O h Eimigh (of which O h Eamhaigh and O h Eamthaigh are variants) means grandson of Swift. It was anglicised as Hevey, Heavey, Heavy, Hevie, Heavie, Havey etc. O h means grandson of, and the name would have originally been pronounced O'Heevee, but the O was later dropped. O h Eimigh is probably short for O h Eimeachain, the name of a family belonging to the clan Cinel Fiachach in Co. Meath (q.v.), and a family of the clan Ui Fiachrach in Co. Mayo (q.v.).
Cinel Fiachach
A clan, the name of which means race of Fiachach, who was the son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, which was a branch of the clan Ui Neill (q.v.) whose territory extended from Birr to the Hill of Uiseneach in West Meath, Leinster.
Ui Fiachrach
A clan, the name of which means the grandsons of Fiachra, son of Eochaidgh Muighmheadhoin, a 4th century Irish king. Fiachra was a brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages, and father of King Dahy, the last Irish pagan monarch. The Ui Fiachrach were divided into two branches, the northern: Ui Fiachrach Muaidhe, seated in the present counties of Mayo and Sligo; and the southern: Ui Fiachrach Aidhne, seated in the south of the present Co. Galway, co-extensive with the Diocese of Kilmachduagh i Neill A large dominant clan, the name of which means grandson of Niall of the Seven Hostages, who was a powerful 4th century Irish king. The clan was
divided into two branches: the northern and southern Ui Neill. The chief clans of the northern Ui Neill whose territory lay in the present counties of Tyrone, Derry, Donegal, and northern Co. Sligo, were Cinel Eoghahain, Cinel Conaill, and Cinel Caibre; while those of the southern Ui Neill whose territory was co-extensive with the Diocese of Meath, were Clan Cholmain, Cinel Fiachach (q.v.) , and Fir Teathbha.