Davern

This interesting and unusual surname, with variant spellings Davoren, Daveren, Daveran etc., is an Anglicized form of the old Gaelic O' Dabhoireann. The Gaelic prefix "O" indicates "male descendant of", plus the personal byname Dabhoireann, which in its original form Dubhdabhoireann denotes "the dark or swarthy one of the Burren", from "dubh", black and "boireann", the Burren, (County Clare). The "Wars of Torlough" mention one, Coradh mic (son of) Dabhoirenn in 1317. The surname first appears on record in the mid 14th Century, (see below). The Daverns were described as "a learned Brehon family", seated as Lisdoonvarna where they had a literary and legal school. The term "Brehon" from the Gaelic "breitheamh", a judge, refers to the Gaelic legal system in force before the Norman Invasion. This sept had a mortuary chapel in the now vanished church of Noughaval in north County Clare. On October 27th 1833 Mary, daughter of John Davern was christened in Kilborney Catholic Church, Kilmoon, County Clare. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Gillananaev O' Duibhdabhoireann, chief Brehon of Corcomroe, County Clare, which was dated 1345, in the "The Annals of the Four Masters", during the reign of King Edward 111, known as "The Father of the Navy", 1327 - 1377. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.