Culverhouse

This is a topographic name 'at the culver-house' deriving from the Olde English 'culfre' - a dove and 'hus' a house. Dove or pigeon houses were a feature of the medieval landscape and were attached to all large manors. A culver was a keeper of pigeons, a bird used to a large extent in cuisine. Alternative spellings of the name have included Culverhouse (1582) and Cullverous (1653) also occurring as Culverous and Culverus. The name now appears as Culverhouse and as Claverhouse in Scotland. Joane Culverhouse married Xpoper Winkfield at St. Dunstan in the East, London on February 28th 1576 while Susan Culverhouse married George Wilkinson on November 23rd 1635 at St. Giles, Cripplegate, London. Elizabeth, daughter of John and Ellinor Culverus was christened at St. James, Clerkenwel, London on August 17th 1656. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Henry atte Colverhouse, which was dated 1327 Kirby's Quest, during the reign of King Edward 111, known as "The Father of the Navy", 1327 - 77. 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.