Surname Neaves - Meaning and Origin
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Neaves: What does the surname Neaves mean?
The surname Neaves is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is derived from the Middle English term "neve," which means "nephew" or "neveu". Thus, it is most likely that the initial bearer of the surname was the "nephew of," possibly indicating that the first person who carried this name may perhaps have been the inheritor from that uncle. Over time, this last name developed many spelling variations, including Neeves, Nevis, Neviss, Nives, and others. The surname Neaves is most common in England, especially in the eastern part of the country.
Order DNA origin analysisNeaves: Where does the name Neaves come from?
The last name Neaves can be found throughout the English-speaking world today. In the United Kingdom, it is most commonly found in England, Scotland, and Wales. It is particularly prevalent in counties such as Lancashire, Wiltshire, Shropshire, Dorset and Somerset, as well as in the Greater London area.
In the United States, Neaves is also commonly found. The majority of people bearing this name live along the east coast of the US, particularly in areas of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This is likely due to the fact that many people bearing this name emigrated from the UK during the 1700s and 1800s.
In addition, Neaves can be found in other countries which have English-speaking populations, such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Due to migration laws in these countries, many of the families carrying this surname are of UK descent.
Overall, the last name Neaves is relatively widespread throughout the English-speaking world today, with the highest concentrations of people bearing this name living primarily in the UK and the United States.
Variations of the surname Neaves
The surname Neaves is an ancient British surname that has multiple variants, spellings, and surnames derived from the same origin. Neaves first appeared in records around the mid 13th century in Cambridgeshire, England.
The variations of the name Neaves include Neave, Neav, Neave, Neaves, Neve, Nevee, Nev, Neves, Nevis, Neavey, Nevus, and Neveson.
The Neave surname is also spelled Neff, Nief, and Niif, and there are variations based on region, including Schnieder, Sneyd, Neeft, Neef, van Neffen, Steinof, and Nikel in Germany, Nehrer and Nehr in Austria, Neiger in Czech Republic, Neef in Netherlands, Niever in Denmark, Neves Espana, Nieves in Mexico, Neyve in Portugal, Nevy in Albania, Nejman in Poland, Numa in Finland, Nema in Hungary, and Nev in Romania.
The Neaves surname is also associated with many other names like Neibert, Niehaus, Niehues, Nihaus, Naughton, Neyhart, Neyman, Naveh, Navi, Narvaez, Nafzinger, Nafso, Naff, Nefzger, Neis, Niosi, Neri, Naef, Neimeyer, Neirinck, Nearer, Neander, Neher, Neils, Nails, Nalesnik, Nealer, Neiffer, Neild, and Neil.
In summary, the Neaves surname is derived from the ancient British name and has many variations, spellings, and associated surnames around the world.
Famous people with the name Neaves
- Will Neaves: award-winning multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and singer from London, UK
- John Neaves: professional photographer from Canada
- Richard Neaves: actor best known for his television work in the United Kingdom
- Arthur Neaves: English actor known for his appearances in numerous television shows throughout the 1950s and 1960s
- Robert Neaves: British actor who played a major role in the television miniseries The Black Arrow
- Tony Neaves: English actor who starred in Doctor Who and The Borrowers
- Jack Neaves: English musician, songwriter and singing sensation
- Bill Neaves: Welsh rugby union player who represented Great Britain in multiple international tournaments
- Walter Neaves: English airman who became a spur of the moment hero when he helped to save the British Navy during World War II
- Bob Neaves: multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer from New Zealand