Where does the last name Westover come from?

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I was just wondering.

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  1. Tina
    Westover Name Meaning and History English: habitational name from either of two places called Westover, in Somerset and the Isle of Wight, both named with Old English west + ofer ‘ridge’ or ofer ‘bank’. Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4 http://www.ancestry.com/facts/Westover-family-history.ashx Westover Surname Recorded as Westoff, Westover and Westofer, this is an English surname. It is medieval, but its origins are probably pre 7th century Anglo-Saxon or Olde English. It is one of a group of surnames from place names which are descriptive compounds. Deriving either from the place name of Westover, or topographically from the term 'west off', it literally describes a hamlet or farm "to the west" meaning to the west of the main village. The famous Victorian etymologist Canon Charles Bardsley stated that (quote) "Westover is a tithing in the parish of Wherwell, near Andover, in Hampshire". Presumably then Wherwell was the main centre for the area, and possibly the seat of the lord of the manor. In areas under Viking influence similar systems applied. A "torp" described an outlying farm or settlement, whilst a "bi" was as small as a single farm. Locational surnames such as this were originally given either to the lord of the manor, if there was one, or as seems to be the case here, to former villagers and tenants who left the village and moved elsewhere.Judging by the first recording shown below, they were going "elsewhere" from quite an early date. Examples of the surname recording include - William Westofer who married Alice Younger in London in 1572, and James Westoff, a student at Oxford University in the year 1602. The first known recording is that of William Westovere, in the Hundred Rolls of the county of Somerset, in the year 1273. © Copyright: Name Origin Research www.surnamedb.com 1980 - 2010 Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Westover#ixzz0ss7Db4kx Westover Surname During the Middle Ages surnames were first used in order to distinguish between numbers of people bearing the same Christian name. As taxation, under William The Conqueror, who invaded England in 1066, became the law, documentation became essential, and names were chosen from a man's trade, his father's name, some personal physical characteristic, or from his place of residence. In the case of the name WESTOVER, it was a locational name from a place of the name, a tithing in the parish of Wherwell, near Andover in Hampshire. The earliest of the name on record appears to be William WESHIVERE, who was documented in County Somerset during the reign of Edward III (1327-1377). Ivone ESTHOVERE, was recorded in the same year in Hampshire. Surnames derived from place names are divided into two broad categories; topographic names and habitation names. Topographic names are derived from general descriptive references to someone who lived near a physical feature such as an oak tree, a hill, a stream or a church. Habitation names are derived from pre-existing names denoting towns, villages and farmsteads. Other classes of local names include those derived from the names of rivers, individual houses with signs on them, regions and whole countries. Later instances of the name include William WESTOVER and Alice Young, who were married in London in the year 1572, and James WESTOVER of County Devon, registered at Oxford University in the year 1602. William WESTOVER and Amy Ranes, were married at St. George's, Hanover Square, London in the year 1732. http://www.4crests.com/westover-coat-of-arms.html The Westover surname is an English name derived from either a place called Westover or from the term 'west off', it literally describes a hamlet or farm "to the west" meaning to the west of the main village.
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