Oliver (family name)

Oliver (family name)
Oliver
Family name
Meaning "Bearer of the olive branch" or "Ancestor"
Region of origin Scottish Borders
Language(s) of origin Latin or Scandinavian
Related names Olivier

All Scottish Olivers are descended from the ancient family of Oliver who settled in the Border area of Scotland and England by the middle of the 13th century [1]. By the beginning of the 16th century, they had become a kinship group in which all its members bore the same surname of Oliver.

Contents

History and territory

Oliver tartan

The main territory in which the Oliver surname lived and exercised control was Jedforest, an indeterminate area situated south west and south of the Border town of Jedburgh. Originally the lands of Jedforest were held directly by the King, and as his tenants in chief the Olivers would have held their lands by Crown charter, but after a number of changes in feudal superior, Jedforest was granted by the King to the Clan Douglas (the Red Douglas) under whose protection the Olivers subsequently lived.

Oliver kilt

Certain Highland tourist literature -and associated maps- explain that the Olivers were a sept of Clan Fraser. This erroneus idea has arisen from the fact that the Frasers living in southern Scotland before moving north to the Inverness area held the barony of Oliver Castle in the 13th century, having acquired it by marriage with the heiress of Oliver, son of Kyluert who then held it. At no time has any family with an Oliver surname ever lived at Oliver Castle, or in the area around it.[2]

It would seem that the Oliver Surname developed slowly over a period of time spanning the 13th to the 15th centuries, and the early records indicate that the first Olivers of any importance in the Border area were merchants in the strategic town of Berwick on Tweed. This town was then part of Scotland, and in the 13th century John Oliver was a merchant who operated a trading network in south east Scotland and in Northumberland. When John of Balliol, King of Scots, rebelled against Edward I, King of England, amongst his many supporters was Robert Oliver, merchant of Berwick -presumably son of John Oliver.[3]

Notes

  1. ^ The Oliver surname on the Scottish Border, pp. 1-2
  2. ^ The Oliver surname on the Scottish Border, pp. 1-2
  3. ^ The Oliver surname on the Scottish Border, p. 19

References

  • Oliver, Colonel Winston H., The Oliver surname on the Scottish Border, Blain-Blainslie: The Oliver Society, 1982

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Oliver (given name) — This article is about the given name Oliver. For other uses, see Oliver (disambiguation). Oliver Mort de Roland, depicting a the death of Roland in The Song of Roland. One part of the story tells of how Roland s best friend, Olivier, died with… …   Wikipedia

  • Oliver (disambiguation) — Oliver is both a family name and a given name. Oliver may also refer to Contents 1 People 2 Entertainment 2.1 Music 2.2 Fictional characters …   Wikipedia

  • Oliver — This article is about the surname Oliver. For other uses, see Oliver (disambiguation). Oliver Family name Related names Oliver; Olivier Clan affiliations Fraser The surname Oliver is of several different origins …   Wikipedia

  • Oliver P. Morton — Oliver Morton redirects here. For the science writer, see Oliver Morton (science writer). Oliver P. Morton 14th Lieutenant Governor of Indiana In office …   Wikipedia

  • Oliver Cuadrado Martín — Oliver Personal information Full name Oliver Cuadrado Martín Date of birth July 12, 1977 (1 …   Wikipedia

  • Oliver Farm Equipment Company — Oliver Corporation redirects here. For the typewriter manufacturer, see Oliver Typewriter Company. Oliver 80 tractor The Oliver Farm Equipment Company was an American farm equipment manufacturer from the 20th century. It was formed as a the… …   Wikipedia

  • Óliver Pérez — Washington Nationals No. Relief pitcher …   Wikipedia

  • Oliver Cromwell — Cromwell redirects here. For other uses, see Cromwell (disambiguation). For other people named Oliver Cromwell, see Oliver Cromwell (disambiguation). Oliver Cromwell Portrait of Oliver Cromwell by Samuel Cooper …   Wikipedia

  • Oliver-Paull — Double barrelled surnames, usually created following a marriage between two families, have no overall meaning as a unit, but the separate parts have their own meaning and derivation. In this instance, the name Oliver, introduced into England by… …   Surnames reference

  • Oliver St. John Gogarty — Oliver Gogarty Oliver Gogarty as painted in 1911 by William Orpen Born Oliver Joseph St. John Gogarty 17 August 1878(1878 08 17) Rutland Square, Dublin, Ireland …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”