Surname Calverly - Meaning and Origin

Calverly: What does the surname Calverly mean?

The last name Calverly is an English surname derived from the location of Calverley in West Yorkshire, England. The place name of Calverley is thought to have its origins in the Old English words ‘cealfor’, meaning ‘calf pasture’ and ‘leah’, meaning ‘clearing’. This would suggest that the Calverly surname was originally adopted by someone who lived near, or came from, the location of Calverley.

The surname was first recorded in 1133 when Robert de Calverley is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire. In 1212, Gilbert de Calverley appears in the Lancashire Pipe Rolls and in 1275, another reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire stating that Ingram de Calverley had to pay a hearth tax. By the 16th century, the Calverly family had splintered and there were several branches found in different counties.

The Calverly family were prosperous landowners and handful of members of the family attained some degree of prominence in British society. The most notable being Sir Thomas Calverley, a Member of Parliament for Yorkshire, and Thomas Calverley, a Jesuit religious in the 17th century.

Today, the Calverly family is held in high regard in the British Isles. The surname is still quite popular, with several thousand people bearing the name in the United Kingdom alone. Most with the Calverly name can be found in the counties of West Yorkshire, Lancashire and Durham and some in Dublin, Ireland.

Calverly: Where does the name Calverly come from?

The last name Calverly is most commonly found in the United Kingdom. It has been consistently recorded in the country since the late 19th century, with many records concentrated around Yorkshire, especially in and around Leeds. More recently, the 2000 UK Census found over 3,000 Calverly surnames living in the UK, making it one of the most commonly occurring surnames in the country. The concentration of this name has also shifted further north over time, with Scotland, Lancashire, and Derbyshire now having the highest proportions of Calverly surnames.

While this name is most strongly associated with the UK, it is still found in other parts of Europe and beyond. The name is most commonly found in Australia and New Zealand, with Swiss, French, and German origins all listed as possibilities within the last hundred years. In Canada, the name is much less common, and particularly in the United States, the Calverly surname is very rare. There is even one noted instance of the name in India, though this appears to be an isolated case.

Overall, the last name Calverly is most strongly associated with the United Kingdom today. It can still be found in other parts of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and even within the Americas, though its prevalence in these areas is much lower than that of the UK.

Variations of the surname Calverly

The surname Calverly (also spelled as Calverley, Calverlye, and Calverye) is an English and medieval surname of Norman French origins. The patronymic origins of Calverly are found in the Old French word “calver” which meant “bold” or “brave”. This name was typically used as a baptismal name for a son of a father with the first name of “Calver” or alternatively as a byname, given to one who possessed the attributes implied by the term.

Variants of Calverly include Calverlee, Calverley, Calverlye, and Calverye. All of these variants are derived from the same name, Calver. Other closely related spellings which may have originated with the same family unit include Calvery, Calverleigh, Calverlie, and Calverd.

Surnames that have the same origin as Calverly include Calver, Calvert, Calvord, Calvery, Calverleigh, Calverlie, and Calverd. These all share the same Norman French roots as Calverly, and are typically associated with persons who possessed boldness of spirit, bravery, and heroics.

In conclusion, Calverly and its variants and related surnames stem from the Norman French word “calver” which implied attributes of boldness. Variants of the same name include Calverlee, Calverley, Calverlye, and Calverye while surnames of the same origin include Calver, Calvert, Calvord, Calvery, Calverleigh, Calverlie, and Calverd.

Famous people with the name Calverly

• Sarah Calverly: American professional golfer on the LPGA Tour
• Baron Calverly: British Parliamentary representative of Northallerton
• William Calverly: English composer of music for the Royal Academy's Vauxhall Gardens
• Lionel Calverly: British actor and author of several books on English theatre
• Edwin Calverly: British sculptor and designer of several monuments
• Willie Calverly: Early 20th-century English professional footballer
• John Calverly: Irish journalist and writer
• George Calverly: British journalist and poet
• Phar Sil Calverly: American businessman and inventor
• Edwin Calverly-Towell: British Victoria Cross recipient
• Kenneth Calverly: American cartoonist and illustrator
• Andrew Calverly: British politician who held several posts in the House of Lords
• Charles Calverley: English language philologist
• William Calverly-Smith: British army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Richard Calverly: English actor and playwright
• Percy Calverly: British ambassador to Bulgaria during the 1930s
• Charles William Calverly: British professor of mineralogy and geology
• James Calverly: American novelist and playwright
• Howard Calverly: Australian lawyer and member of the Victorian Legislative Council
• William Calverly Jr.: American educator and naturalist

Other surnames

CalverdcalverdeCalverleyCalvert