CLEAVES
Cleaves
The surname Cleaves is of English origin and is derived from the Old English word "cleofan," meaning to split or separate. The name is occupational in nature, denoting a person who worked as a cleaver or someone who split or chopped wood, meat, or other materials.
The Cleaves surname has been recorded in various forms over the centuries, including Cleave, Cleve, and Cleaves. It is most commonly found in the southwest of England, particularly in Devon and Cornwall.
Notable individuals bearing the surname Cleaves include Henry Cleaves, a renowned 18th-century woodworker and craftsman from Devon, and Eleanor Cleaves, a prominent suffragette who campaigned for women's rights in the early 20th century.
The Cleaves family name has a long and rich history in Britain, with connections to various industries and regions. Today, individuals with the surname Cleaves can be found around the country and may trace their ancestry back to the skilled craftsmen and labourers of yesteryear.
There are approximately 435 people named Cleaves in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around seven in a million people in Britain are named Cleaves.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Wales
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Welsh
Typical given names associated with the surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- Daniel
- David
- Derek
- Gary
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Caroline
- Christine
- Hazel
- Helen
- Jean
- Julie
- Lesley
- Margaret
- Maureen
- Rebecca
- Sally
- Sarah
- Susan
- Victoria
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.