Evamy

Recorded in many spellings including Effemy, Evamy, Evemy, Eovomy, and even Ivimy, this is probably an English surname. We are unable to find any evidence of say a French or even a Gaelic origin, but then argably we have not been able to absolutely confirm that it is English. We believe however that it is a locational surname, and one that originated from some now "lost" medieval village probably called "Efenmeg or Evemeg" or similar, and translating as "The level island", from the pre 7th century Olde English "efn or emn" meaning smooth or level, and "eg" an island. This may not have been literally an island, but could have referred to a stretch of level land between streams or even a dry area of a marsh, on which a settlement had been built. Unfortunately if such a place has existed it does not appear to do so any longer, nor has it for at least the past three hundred years. It has been estimated that at least five thousand early settlements, villages and even towns, have disappeared from the British Isles in the past seven centuries. The majority have provided early surnames, often as with this one, in some bewildering spellings, perhaps far removed from the original. The surviving registers of the diocese of Greater London provide a number of examples and these include: Jonathon Evomy whose daughter Sarah was christened at the church of St Batholomew the Great, on May 21st 1718, and James Evemy, whose daughter Hester, was christened at St Lukes Finsbury, on December 14th 1774.