SAVILLE
Saville is a surname of both English and French provenance. The name first entered England at the close of the twelfth century, in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest of 1066, and has thereafter maintained links with the West Riding of Yorkshire in Northern England.
The earliest known spelling of the name is that of John de Sayvill, recorded in the Fines Court proceedings of 1246 in Yorkshire during the reign of King Henry II. The French place‑name Sainville, situated in the department of Eure‑et‑Loire within the former duchy of Normandy, is commonly accepted as the eponym of the family. The name Sainville itself is derived from the pre‑eighth century French word Saisne, meaning a Saxon, and the suffix -ville, which in this context denotes a large house or settlement. Consequently, the surname has a locational element that points to a Saxon lineage but, when pronounced in Old French, it also carries the sense of “wild” or “untamed” inherited from the word sauvage.
In English usage the surname has been described as an aristocratic one. By the thirteenth century the Savill–Sivill family had established estates in Yorkshire, and during the interregnum of the English Civil War (1640–1660) Lord Saville was a noted supporter of the Parliamentary cause. The name was held at least until the eighteenth century by individuals such as Ann Sivill (London, 1671) and John Sivell (London, 1723).
Over the centuries the spelling of the name has varied widely, reflecting changes in orthography and dialect. Contemporary forms include Saville, Savil, Savil, Saveall, Savyell, Seville, Sivill, Sivell and Saywell. Earlier versions recorded in the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries were Stephende Savile (Yorkshire, 1277), John Savyell (Yorkshire, 1431), and Rosemunda Savell (Yorkshire, 1549).
In sum, the surname Saville demonstrates a heritage that blends Norman–French locational origin with an English aristocratic legacy, and it is historically linked, at least in part, to the evocative Old French term for the wild or untamed.
Typical given names associated with the Saville surname
Male
- Christopher
- David
- Ian
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Stephen
- William
Female
- Carol
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Jacqueline
- Jane
- Joanne
- Margaret
- Michelle
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Saffell
- Seville
- Savill
- Saffle
- Cevill
- Cevil
- Saffill
- Savilla
- Saval
- Savala
- Savale
- Savall
- Savalle
- Saveal
- Saveall
- Savel
- Savela
- Savele
- Savell
- Savelle
- Savelli
- Savells
- Savil
- Savile
- Savillo
- Savills
- Savvell
- Scavell
- Seavell
- Seavill
- Seaville
- Seivell
- Sevalle
- Sevele
- Sevell
- Sevelle
- Sevil
- Sevill
- Savalia
- Savely
- Saviel
- Savla
- Scavelli
- Seouville
- Sevales
- Shavill
- Sheville
- Siville
- Soville
- Suville
- Civil
- Sevilla
- Sivell
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Saville in...
Braille
⠎⠁⠧⠊⠇⠇⠑
Morse
....-...-...-...-...
Semaphore
There are approximately 5,069 people named Saville in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,860th most common surname in Britain. Around 78 in a million people in Britain are named Saville.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Saville
- Peter Saville - Graphic designer
- George Saville - Northern Irish football player
- Mark Saville, Baron Saville of Newdigate - Baron and judge
- Philip Saville - Screenwriter (1930 to 2016)
- Peter Saville - Psychologist
- Victor Saville - Film director, producer and screenwriter (1895 to 1979)
- John Saville - Historian (1916 to 2009)
- Jack Saville - Football player
- Andy Saville - Football player
- William Saville-Kent - Biologist (1845 to 1908)
- Graham Saville - Cricketer
- Clifford Saville - Cricketer (1892 to 1917)
- Stanley Saville - Cricketer (1889 to 1966)
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.