Havers - Meno

This interesting surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and derives from the Olde English pre 7th Century "haefer" a he-goat. It would have been used as a nickname for someone bearing a resemblance to a goat, perhaps to a swift agile person or one with a pointed tuftlike beard on the chin. This is an example of that sizable group of early European surnames that were gradually created from the habitual used of nicknames. The nicknames were given in the first instance with reference to a variety of characteristics, such as physical attributes or peculiarities, mental and moral characteristics, supposed resemblance to an animal's or bird's appearance or disposition, habits of dress and occupation. The surname may also be a metonymic occupational name for someone who worked with goats. One Simon Hauer is noted in the 1230 Pipe Rolls of Essex. Clapton Havers (deceased 1702) was a physician and anatomist. His chief anatomical work "Osteologia Nova" gave the first minute account of the structure of bone (printed 1691). The "Haversian canals" were named after him. A Coat of Arms granted to the family is gold, on a black fesse three gold chessrooks, the Crest being a silver griffin sejant, beaked and forelegs gold, ducally collared and lined gold. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Hugh Hauer, which was dated 1199, in the "Pipe Rolls of Norfolk", during the reign of King John, known as "Lackland", 1199-1216. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.