PLEASE ANSWER: Last Name Genealogy?

Question

What type of ethnical background does the last name Clerveaux have? Please give me sources and details!

Answer 1

French

Answer 2

Please look closely at the number of examples that Jan pulls up (as a generous researcher).  Notice that her samples (which probably come from original sources) confirm that the name is found in MORE THAN ONE PLACE.  

What it underscores is that names Do NOT come from just one location or ethnic origin.  The entire premise that names "come" from "somewhere" is etymology.  If your NAME is believed to be of one origin>> that is completely independent of your actual background and/or ethnicity.  If your ancestor of this name came from England, your heritage is English.  If your ancestor came from France, you are of French background.

Answer 3

www.familysearch.org has listings for CLARVAUX; CLERVOUX; CLERVEAUX ; and  CLERVAUX in England, France and the US (various states).

Early listings: most listings in England from same town--Croft, Yorkshire.

1. Sir Hamon Clervaux--b. About 1037; Normandie Province, France

2. John Clervaux --b. about 1258; Croft, Yorkshire, England

3. Robert Clervaux--b.about 1230; Croft, Yorkshire, England

www.genealogygeneral.bravehost.com/EUR...   shows listings/links under CLARVAUX in Luxembourg.

http://www.dunbrack.org/data/wc07_090.ht... lists

Name Elizabeth Clervaux

   Spouses

1 Christopher Chaytor

Birth 1494, Butterby, County Durham, England

    Children Thomas (-1618)

http://genealogy.theroyfamily.com/i39.ht...

Clervaux

Isabel Conyers was the daughter of Robert Conyers Esq. and Isabel Pert. Isabel married Thomas Clervaux

(Citations

Richardson, Douglas. Plantagenet Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2004)

Isabel Conyers' pedigree:

Her father: Robert Conyers Esq.

b. 1371   Of, Sockburn, Durham, England

d. 25 Apr 1431

Burial:     Church At, Sockburn, Durham, England



His father:  Sir John de Conyers

d. bef.  6 Mar 1395

      Married:

Elizabeth de Aton (NOTE: Elizabeth de Aton left a will on 25 April 1402. Elizabeth's will was proved on 1 May 1402. She was buried in Friers Minor, York, Yorkshire, England.)

Isabel's Mother: ISABEL PERT** (daughter of: Father: William Pert

&Mother: Joan le Scrope)

b. about About 1375   Of, Mountnessing, Essex, England

Burial:     Church At, Sockburn, Durham, England

(Note: **she was still living in 1427)

Answer 4

I agree that it's probably of French origin, or was adopted by someone who wished to adopt or be accepted into the French culture, such as a person living in one of the French colonies.

http://books.google.com/books?q=Clerveau...

can be useful to figure out the gist of this name in historical context. This URL is set for public domain books; meaning you can download them for free.

The http://books.google.com site is useful for learning about ancestors for which you already have shoe box citations, or for history in general.

Happy hunting.