Plover

Plover
Like the surnames Finch and Goldfinch as examples, this is a medieval nickname surname. It originates from the Plover bird or Plouvier in French, and probably describes either a person who wore colourful dress particularly green, or is possibly a metonymic for a maker or supplier of coloured fabrics and jewelry. There are a number of different species of plover, and the sea bird variety are also known for their piratical habits, so it is possible that the name was one given to one who may have been anti-social in his (or sometimes her), behaviour. It is also probable that the surname was first used in England as early as the 14th century, but whether it was an introduction from France at that time, or whether it was 'home bred' is not known. What the early surviving church registers of the diocese of Greater London do show is that as Plover it was recorded in Elizabethan times, an example being that of Thomas, the son of John Plover, who was christened at St Stephens church, Coleman Street, on May 22nd 1602. However very shortly afterwards the name is recorded as a French and Huguenot protestant refugee surname, when Adam Plouvier, the son of Luc Plouvier, was christened at the French Church, Threadneedle Street, in the city of London, on January 12th 1612. Thereafter throughout the 17th century there was a steady listing in the registers of new Huguenot 'Plouviers' and 'Pluuviers', from France. As a result of the anti-French feelings which continued until the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, and hence the need for 'political correctness', the spellings were nearly all anglicized to the spelling of Plover, by that date.

Surnames reference. 2013.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Plover — Plov er, n. [OF. plovier, F. pluvier, prop., the rain bird, fr. LL. (assumed) pluviarius, fr. L. pluvia rain, from pluere to rain; akin to E. float, G. fliessen to flow. See {Float}.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of limicoline birds… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plover — ist der Name mehrerer Orte in den Vereinigten Staaten: Plover (Iowa) Plover (Wisconsin) eine Inselgruppe in Kanada: Plover Islands Sonstiges: HMS Plover, diverse Schiffe der Royal Navy (en:HMS Plover) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Plover — Plover, WI U.S. village in Wisconsin Population (2000): 10520 Housing Units (2000): 4133 Land area (2000): 8.495966 sq. miles (22.004451 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.384034 sq. miles (0.994643 sq. km) Total area (2000): 8.880000 sq. miles… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Plover, IA — U.S. city in Iowa Population (2000): 95 Housing Units (2000): 50 Land area (2000): 0.543496 sq. miles (1.407649 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.543496 sq. miles (1.407649 sq. km) FIPS code:… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Plover, WI — U.S. village in Wisconsin Population (2000): 10520 Housing Units (2000): 4133 Land area (2000): 8.495966 sq. miles (22.004451 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.384034 sq. miles (0.994643 sq. km) Total area (2000): 8.880000 sq. miles (22.999094 sq. km) …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Plover — Plover, Hauptort der Grafschaft Portage im Staate Wisconsin (Nordamerika), an der Mündung des Plover River in den Wisconsin; in der Umgegend Nadelholzwaldungen; Holzhandel …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • plover — c.1300, from Anglo Fr. plover, O.Fr. pluvier, earlier plovier (c.1200), from V.L. *plovarius, lit. belonging to rain, from L. pluvia rain. Perhaps so called because the birds migration arrival coincides with the start of the rainy season, or from …   Etymology dictionary

  • plover — [pluv′ər, plō′vər] n. pl. plovers or plover [ME < OFr plovier, lit., rain bird < VL * pluviarius < L pluvia, rain (see PLUVIAL): said to be so named because it was believed to cry before a rain] 1. any of a worldwide family… …   English World dictionary

  • plover — ► NOUN ▪ a short billed wading bird, typically found by water but sometimes frequenting grassland. ORIGIN Old French, from Latin pluvia rain …   English terms dictionary

  • Plover — For other uses, see Plover (disambiguation). Plovers Killdeer Scientific classification Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • plover — /pluv euhr, ploh veuhr/, n. 1. any of various shorebirds of the family Charadriidae. Cf. dotterel (def. 1), killdeer, lapwing. 2. any of various similar shorebirds, as the upland plover and other sandpipers. [1275 1325; ME < AF; OF plovier… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

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