Surname Beavis - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'B'
Beavis: What does the surname Beavis mean?
The surname Beavis is derived from the medieval personal name Bevis, which was a popular name in medieval England. The name is of Norman Origin and derived from the Old French 'beu', meaning 'fair', and 'vis', meaning 'strength' or 'force'.
It is thought this name was derived from the famous Norman knight Bevis of Hampton, a figure in one of the earliest Arthurian romances. The name was subsequently adopted as the surname Beavis, and has been in use in Britain since at least the 13th century.
The Beavis surname is still quite popular in modern Britain and is most often traced to areas of Norfolk, Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire and West Yorkshire. It is thought that the first bearers of this surname may have been descended from Bevis of Hampton, although alternate theories on its etymology do exist, such as the possibility that it may be of Norse origin.
Today the surname Beavis continues to remain popular in the U.K, and is also present in other parts of the world, primarily Europe and the United States. Popularity of the name is a testament to the legacy of its original figurehead Bevis, and speaks of the strength and courage that the name represents.
Order DNA origin analysisBeavis: Where does the name Beavis come from?
The last name Beavis is mainly found in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The United States also has a small number of people with this surname, but this number appears to be a fraction of those found in the UK. As such, it is much more common to find this surname in the countries across the pond.
In the UK, Beavis is most concentrated in Suffolk, Norfolk, East Anglia, and Lincolnshire. This may be due, in part, to the history of the surname Beavis. Records from before the Norman Conquest (1066) show references to the name as far back as 878 CE. Beavis families were attributed to the East Anglia region of the UK during this time.
The earliest document which contains the Beavis surname is from 1086, and is part of the famous Domesday Book which was compiled by William the Conqueror in order to assess taxable assets. An analysis of census records from 1881 indicates that the highest numbers of Beavis families were found in Lincolnshire and Norfolk.
In modern times, Beavis is still a popular last name in the UK, and a search of the electoral roll reveals that there is a significant concentration of people with this surname in East Anglia and the Home Counties area. In the United States, Beavis is distributed across the entire country, but the largest concentration is found in New York.
Variations of the surname Beavis
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Beavis include Beaviss, Beavis, Beavise, Beavises, Beviss, Bevise, Bevises, Beavisses, Beavesses, Beavis, Beavisse, Beanis, Bevens, and Bevans.
Beavis is an English patronymic surname, deriving its origin from the Medieval personal name Bieve, the Old English form of Bevu, a diminutive form of a Germanic name begins with the element ‘bio’, meaning ‘to live’ or ‘life’. Bieve was a popular given name amongst the Normans and was brought to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. By 1273, a Walter Bevey is registered in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire, and Thomas Beves appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1332. Later instances of the surname Beavis include John Beaviss, who married Cynthia Morse on November 18th 1611 in Devon, Anne Beaviss in September 1678 at Eastborne, and William Beaviss, who married Elizabeth Maxted in October 1719 at East Grinstead, both in Sussex.
The surname Beavis is also seen in the form of Beavis, Beavise, Beavises, Beviss, Bevise, Bevises, Beavisses, Beavesses, Beavis and Beavisse, all variations of the surname that stem from the same origin. It is also seen in the form of Beanis, derived from the word ‘bean’, the Old English form of ‘bion’ meaning ‘bee’. The surnames Bevens or Bevans (recorded as Beban in 1327 according to the Calendar of Letter Books of London) were probably derived from `Bea(u)fans’, a medieval personal name or nickname derived from the French word `beau’ (‘handsome’).
In summary, Beavis is an English patronymic surname derived from the Medieval personal name Bieve, meaning ‘to live’ or ‘life’ in Germanic, and its variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Beaviss, Beavis, Beavise, Beavises, Beviss, Bevise, Bevises, Beavisses, Beavesses, Beavis, Beavisse, Beanis, Bevens, and Bevans.
Famous people with the name Beavis
- Mark Beavan: British actor known for his role in "Pride and Prejudice" (2005).
- Charles Beavis: Australian soccer player who played for the defunct professional Newcastle Breakers.
- Brian Beavis: British author who wrote the novel "The Club" (2003).
- Mary Beavis: English criminal, who was executed in 1586.
- Stephen Beavis: British member of the House of Commons from 1654 to 1659.
- Ruth Beavis: English activist and campaigner for the rights of gay and lesbian people.
- David Beavis: British actor, known for his work in "Doctor Who" (2005).
- Dr. Michael Beavis: Professor of Māori Studies at the University of Auckland in New Zealand.
- Angus Beavis: British actor and musician, known for his work on "EastEnders" (2010).
- Frances Beavis: British photographer who notably photographed the protest movements of the early 20th century.