CAVILL
Cavill is an English surname of dual origin, with both occupational and locational roots that reflect the cultural history of the British Isles.
In its occupational form the name derives from the Old French word cheval, which means “horse.” The surname was therefore applied to individuals whose trade involved horses, such as horsemen or horse dealers. This connection to the equestrian world has been evident since the name first appears in medieval record, signalling an ancestral occupation or close association with the use of horses in agriculture or transport.
The locational side of the surname traces back to the place known as Cavil(le) in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Early Yorkshire charters of 959 record the placename as Cafeld, while the Domesday Book of 1086 lists it as Cheuede. The name is linguistically composed of the Old English pre‑7th Century element ca, meaning “jackdaw,” and feld, meaning “pasture” or “open country.” Together the elements describe a pasture frequented by jackdaws. The first recorded instance of the surname in the English record dates to the latter half of the twelfth century and appears in a document that lists a Robert de Cavilla in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1273.
Variations of the spelling have been documented over the centuries, including Cavil, Cavel, Cavell and Cavle. The earliest surviving form of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1190, where a Thomas de Kauill is recorded during the reign of King Richard the Lionheart (1189‑1199). By the early sixteenth century the surname had spread to London, as shown by the 1582 marriage of John Cavill to Grisill Garraway at St. Peter-le-Poer, and by the 1591 christening of Richard, son of Richard Cavill, in St. Bride, Fleet Street. Another early London record is the 1621 christening of William, son of Thomas and Mary Cavill, at St. Dunstan's, Stepney.
The heraldic tradition associated with the Cavill family is recorded in a coat of arms granted to the family. The blazon describes a silver shield featuring a red engrailed fess, with a fleur-de-lis at each end. This heraldry continues to identify the family and its historical notability within England.
Throughout its history the Cavill surname remains rooted in the British cultural milieu, reflecting both the medieval occupational practice of horse‑keeping and the geographical heritage of the East Riding of Yorkshire. Its persistence in recorded documents from the twelfth century to the present day attests to the endurance of this distinct family name within the English tradition.
Typical given names associated with the Cavill surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Matthew
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Deborah
- Elizabeth
- Jane
- Joanna
- Joanne
- Julie
- Louise
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Sally
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Cavell
- Cavel
- Caffall
- Caffell
- Cavil
- Cavilla
- Caville
- Caffal
- Caffel
- Caffle
- Caval
- Cavale
- Cavalie
- Cavall
- Cavalla
- Cavalli
- Cavallo
- Caveille
- Cavelle
- Cavely
- Caviel
- Caviell
- Cavile
- Cavils
- Cavvell
- Kavill
- Keevill
- Kevill
- Keville
- Kievill
- Cavailles
- Caveley
- Caviley
- Covill
- Kafil
- Kaval
- Kavali
- Keevil
- Keivell
- Kevell
- Kevil
- Covell
- Kivell
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Cavill in...
Braille
⠉⠁⠧⠊⠇⠇
Morse
-.-..-...-...-...-..
Semaphore
There are approximately 1,703 people named Cavill in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,817th most common surname in Britain. Around 26 in a million people in Britain are named Cavill.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Cavill
- Henry Cavill - Actor
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.