Surname Drever - Meaning and Origin

Drever: What does the surname Drever mean?

The last name Drever is of German origin and is derived from the word “Dreiber”, meaning “shepherd”. It is also believed to derive from the Old French “trèfle”, meaning “clover”.

The Drever surname became popular as a result of its use in both German and English-speaking countries. During the Middle Ages, the Middle East and Europe saw a great influx of German immigrants, who often identified themselves by the language derived from their native tongue. As such, surnames of German origin, such as Drever, became common.

The name Drever became more widespread in the 19th century when people began to migrate to the United States in search of religious and economic freedom. During the Industrial Revolution, many of these immigrants found work in the textiles and steel industries, and the name spread across the country.

Today, the name Drever is common in many areas, both in Germany and in the United States. It is a unique and interesting name that carries with it a proud German heritage. Many families with the surname of Drever can trace their origins back to the Middle Ages and beyond.

Drever: Where does the name Drever come from?

The last name Drever is of Danish origin and, today, is most commonly found in areas with a large number of Danes such as Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. There are also some other small pockets of people with the Drever surname in places such as Canada, Australia, and the United States.

In Denmark, the name appears to be most common in the northern parts of the country, especially in and around the cities of Aalborg and Nørresundby. In Norway, the last name is particularly associated with the southwestern parts of the country, and also appears frequently in the Bergen area.

In Sweden, the last name is most prevalent in the southern half of the country, particularly in Skåne, but the frequency drops off substantially in the northern parts of the country.

In other parts of the world outside of the Scandinavian region, the last name is more sparingly found. There are some people with the lastname Drever living in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and the United States.

Overall, the last name Drever is fairly uncommon today and the vast majority of people with the name still live in the areas where it originated or nearby. The few scattered cases in other parts of the world are likely the result of descendants living in those places, rather than a massive immigration of people with the last name.

Variations of the surname Drever

The surname Drever is derived from the Old Norse personal name Drever, which itself is derived from the Old Norse word drever for a drover of cattle. It was first established in the Bildt district of Friesland in the Netherlands, and later spread to other parts of the country and then to Scotland and England. In the Scottish-English border area, the surname is most commonly spelled Drever, but in other areas it can be spelled as Drèver, Drievar, Drívoyrar, or Drevar.

Variants of the name include Drewe, Dreww, Drear, Dreeve, Dreer, Drew, and Drue. In Scotland, variants include Dreevis, Dreawis, Drevis, Dreawees, and Drivis.

Surnames of similar origin include Drefs, Drevson, Dreffson, Diver, Driffson, Druver, Druvus, and Drufi. These are spellings derived from the same root but with minor variations.

For instance, Dreffson, Diver, and Driffson are variations of the Germanic personal name Drever, which was anglicized into the surname Drever.

The surname also has several variants in Scandinavia, especially in Sweden. In Sweden, commonly found variants of the surname include Drefs, Dreffs, Dréfs, Dréevs, and Drevs.

In America it is commonly seen as Dreyer or Driver, which is derived from the Germanic Drèver. It is sometimes spelled as Drevers, Dreves, Drivers, Drievars, and Drevas.

Famous people with the name Drever

• Dr. John Drever, former president of the University of Manitoba
• Laurie Drever, Canadian actress
• Jack Drever, Canadian television producer
• Constable Donnie Drever, Canadian Police Officer on Corner Gas, the popular Canadian sitcom
• Eric Drever, Canadian alpine ski racer
• Rob Drever, Canadian actor
• Neale P. Drever, Jr., former member and President of the U.S. House of Representatives
• Rita Watson Drever, a philanthropist in healthcare and education
• Betty Drever, noted Canadian author
• Mike Drever, Canadian-born actor and writer
• Kenneth Drever, Canadian-born Olympic track and field athlete
• Tom Drever, former football coach of the Toronto Argonauts
• Stephanie Drever, Canadian-born figure skating champion
• Meagan Drever, singer and actress from Canada
• David Drever, Canadian-born composer

Other surnames

Dreves