NORTHOVER
The surname Northover is of English origin and is traditionally considered a locational surname. It is derived from the Old English words *norð*, meaning “north,” and *ofer*, meaning “ridge” or “river bank.” The original bearers of the name would have lived on or near a ridge or bank to the north of a settlement, and the name was consequently used to identify them geographically.
The place name *Northover* is recorded in Somerset, where it is first mentioned as *Nordoure* in 1242. The modern form indicates a “northern bank,” a meaning that survives in reference to its position on the northern bank of the river Yeo. This placename, like many others of the same type, was adopted by residents who moved away, and they were thereafter known as “Homines de Northowere” in a London record of 1292.
The earliest surviving spelling of the family name appears in the Somerset Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a *Prior de Northover* is recorded. This document was issued during the reign of King Edward I, the “Hammer of the Scots,” who reigned from 1272 to 1307. A further attestation is found on the register of the University of Oxford in 1607, where a *James Northover* is listed.
The surname is relatively uncommon in contemporary times and is most frequently encountered in the south‑western counties of England, reflecting its geographic origin. It remains a clear example of an English occupational name that evolved into a stable family surname based on a distinctive landscape feature.
Typical given names associated with the Northover surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Matthew
- Michael
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Alison
- Ann
- Brenda
- Christine
- Claire
- Jean
- Linda
- Lucy
- Margaret
- Mary
- Natalie
- 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.
How to communicate the surname Northover in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 1,199 people named Northover in the UK. That makes it roughly the 6,438th most common surname in Britain. Around 18 in a million people in Britain are named Northover.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Northover
- Mark Northover - Actor (1950 to 2004)
- Lindsay Northover, Baroness Northover - Politician
- Benn Northover - 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.