The history of the name Sovay began when it was derived from the given name Savaric, an Old German name formed from the elements sav,
with an uncertain meaning, and ric,
which meant powerful. The name came to England
with the Bretons
who accompanied Duke William of Normandy
when he invaded and conquered England
in 1066. The Bretons
came from Brittany
, a French province located on a peninsula on the northwest coast of France. Formerly known as Armorica, a possession of the Roman Empire
, this land consists of a plateau with a deeply indented coast and is broken by hills in the west. However, the region was renamed Britannia Minor by the Romans
, following the emigration of six thousand Britons
across the English Channel, an event which took place at the behest of the Roman Commander in Britain.
Early Origins of the Sovay family
The surname Sovay was first found in Devon
where they held a family seat
from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy
, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.
Early History of the Sovay family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sovay research.Another 209 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1614, 1643, 1650, 1715 and 1698 are included under the topic Early Sovay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Sovay Spelling Variations
There are many spelling variations
surnames, because the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find references to one individual with many different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England
, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. The name has been spelled Savory, Savery, Savary and others.
Early Notables of the Sovay family (pre 1700)
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sovay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Sovay family to the New World and Oceana
An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Sovay arrived in North America very early: Anthony Savery, who came to Plymouth Massachusetts in 1630; Mary Savery and her husband settled in Maryland in 1684; Thomas Savery settled in Plymouth in 1633.
The Sovay Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Aut vita libera aut mois gloriosa
Motto Translation: A life of freedom, or a death of glory.