Recorded in many spellings as show below, this is a surname of early medieval French origins. It derives from the word fevere or fevre, meaning a smith, and has nothing whatsoever to do with disease in any form! In England, although the surname is not recorded until in the 13th century, as a word or occupation it was introduced at or even before the famous Norman Conquest of 1066. Occupational surnames were amongst the first to be created, but they rarely became hereditary unless a son followed his father into the same line of skill or business. Given that the word smith already existed in English in some quantity, it is surprising that there was even room for a French version, which suggests that the meaning on the ground at the time upto a thousand years ago may be different. Amongst the early recordings was that of Abraham le Fevre in the Fines Court rolls of Essex in 1248, whilst three centuries later several prominent Huguenot refugee families bore the name, providing a second wave of introduction into the British Isles. As an example Nicasius Le Fevre, from Anjou in North West France, was appointed chemist to King Charles 11nd of England (1660 - 1685), at a fee of 150 a year, probably 60,000 in current money. In the modern idiom the spelling variations include Feaver, Feavers, Fever, Fevers, Feavour, Feavours, Feavyour, Feavyours, Veevers, Veivers, Lefeaver, Le Fevre and others. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Roger le Fevere. This was dated 1243, in the Assize Court rolls of Somerset, during the reign of King Henry 111rd of England, 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as the Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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