Question Home

Position:Home>Genealogy> What is my name's origin?


Question:I was wondering if anyone knew where the name Peavy came from, as far as native country, or if it originated in America, or whatever the case may be...?


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I was wondering if anyone knew where the name Peavy came from, as far as native country, or if it originated in America, or whatever the case may be...?

This name is English of Norman origin. Consider that yours is a variation of the surname Peavey. Here is your coat of arms:
http://www.houseofnames.com/xq/asp.fc/qx...
The Normans were scandinavian but already spoke French and brought across a number of French barons. A Peavey was granted land by William the Conqueror in Berkshire so in all probability the name is Norman. I have a lot of friends here in England with Norman surnames. Many of them end in "ey" and some skip the "e" and end in "y". For example, take the comedian Reg Varney http://www.onthebusesfanclub.co.uk/newsi...
Consider the Norman name Lacey
http://www.lisagenealogy.com/Surmean/sur...
and you will see it is also spelled Lacy.
You have to consider that in 1066 people spoke Anglo-Saxon and the Normans tried to impose the French. Both languages merged to become modern English, a language at some distance from Anglo-Saxon (which was a lower german spoken by the Angles Saxons and Jutes). This new language then, this English, became a language after some of these surnames were spolken by the population, so they took on different spellings. In Lacey the "e" sound is silent, so probably it is the same with your surname and so you have alternative spellings.
You can see from this last link that Peavy comes from France to England. It is a Norman English name:
"Peavey: (English) One who came from Pavie, In France."
Here is your chateau:
http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iW...

as a surname it is English or Scottish in descent, but I'm not sure if this would also apply to a first name.

I'm an American, honey, our names don't mean sh@t."
-Pulp Fiction

This is what www.ancestry.com has to say about the name,
Peavy
English or Scottish: unexplained.
hope this helps.

Peavy was the name of the funeral director on the radio program, "The Great Gildersleeve."

Gildersleeve himself was played by two radio actors whose voices sounded identical to each other: Willard Waterman and Harold Peary.

www.familynamesonline.com
Peavy
Origin: English

Spelling variations of this family name include: Bevis, Bevys, Beavis, Beavys and others.
First found in Hampshire, where they were granted lands by King William after the Norman Conquest in 1066. They were descended from the Beauvais in Normandy, and appear on the honour roll of Battell Abbey, as accompanying Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D

www.ancestry.com just says "English or Scottish; unexplained."