BEAVER
Beaver
The surname Beaver has English origins, derived from the Old English word "beofor," which means beaver. The name is thought to have been an occupational surname for someone who worked as a furrier, hunter, or trapper of beavers during the medieval period.
The first recorded instance of the surname Beaver dates back to the 11th century in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a Godman Beaver was listed as a landowner in Essex.
Over the centuries, the Beaver surname has spread throughout the British Isles and beyond, with variations such as Bever, Beavor, and Beevor appearing in different regions. Notable bearers of the surname include American actress and filmmaker Kirsten Dunst, whose mother's maiden name is Beaver.
Today, the surname Beaver is relatively rare, with concentrations in various regions of the UK, particularly in the South East and East Anglia.
References
- Reaney, P. H., & Wilson, R. M. (1997). A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press.
- Hanks, P., Coates, R., & McClure, P. (2016). The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland. Oxford University Press.
There are approximately 2,006 people named Beaver in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,207th most common surname in Britain. Around 31 in a million people in Britain are named Beaver.
Surname type: Nickname
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Typical given names associated with the surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Robert
Female
- Christine
- Jacqueline
- Joan
- Joanne
- Karen
- Mary
- Michelle
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.