DEVEREUX

Devereux is a surname of French origin, specifically deriving from the town of Evreux in Normandy. The name is a locational surname used to identify an individual who had come from that place; the prefix de means “of” or “from” in Old French.

The place name Evreux in turn is believed to stem from the Gallic tribe Eburovices, whose name has been translated by some scholars as “those who overcome by the yew”. Yew wood was traditionally used by the tribe for making bows and other weapons, and the tribe is said to have been named after the river Ebura, now the Eure, a name that may be connected to a Celtic word for the yew tree.

Following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, members of the family who settled in the British Isles adopted the surname Devereux. The earliest recorded spelling in England appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a Roger de Ebrois is listed in Norfolk. By the 12th century the name had diverged into a number of variants, including Everist, Everix, Everiss and Evreux, as well as but Deveraux, Devereux, Devereu and Deverose.

Records from later centuries illustrate the spread of the name throughout England. The Pipe Rolls of Herefordshire in 1159 contain a reference to Walter de Eureus, while the Memoranda Rolls of Worcestershire in 1199 record a Stephen de Euereus. Parish registers in London provide further examples: in 1590 the marriage of Ellyn Everest to Edward Pullinger is recorded at St. Margaret Pattens, and in 1605 the union of Recherd Everest and Grace Knevet is noted at St. Mary Somerset.

The family was established within the English baronetage and later gained prominence in Ireland. One of the most famous members was Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, who served as a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I during the late 16th century. The Devereux lineage, however, remains relatively uncommon in comparison with the majority of surnames in the United Kingdom and the wider English‑speaking world.

The heraldic grant associated with the name features a shield divided per fesse into blue and black, over a silver fesse indented between three silver cinquefoils. Three black storks' heads erased appear upon the field, and the crest depicts a black stork resting upon a gold cinquefoil atop a broken battlement in proper colouring.

Over the centuries the surname has been written in numerous forms. In addition to the core variants Devereux, Deveraux and Devereaux, it is occasionally seen without the initial prefix as Vereux. Anglicised forms such as Devreux, Deverose and Devreaux appear in some records. In some regions, phonetic adaptations give rise to names like Devrox or Deverick. Related surnames include Normand and Norman, indicating a person from the same geographical area, as well as Evereux, Evreux and Evrard.

Today, the surname Devereux is most frequently encountered in England, Ireland, the United Kingdom and other predominantly English‑speaking countries while remaining relatively rare. In Ireland it is the most densely populated, owing to the historical migration and settlement of the family in that country during medieval times.

Typical given names associated with the Devereux surname

Male

• James
• John
• Mark
• Michael
• Paul
• Peter
• Richard
• Robert
• Stephen
• William

Female

• Ann
• Catherine
• Helen
• Jacqueline
• Janet
• Julie
• Lucy
• Margaret
• Mary
• Michelle
• Nicola
• Sarah

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Devereux in...

Braille

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Morse

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Semaphore

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Famous people named Devereux

• Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex - Nobleman (1565 to 1601)
• Robert Devereux - Civil servant
• Robin Devereux, 19th Viscount Hereford - Peer
• Sean Devereux - Missionary (1964 to 1993)
• Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex - Noble and general (1541 to 1576)
• Don Devereux - Welsh rugby union and rugby league football player (1932 to 1995)
• John Devereux - Welsh rugby union football player, and rugby league football player and coach
• Louis Devereux - Cricketer (1931 to 2016)
• Richard Devereux - Cricketer
• Robbie Devereux - Football player

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.

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