Peever Family History

From Lower and Over Peover (Cheshire), which is recorded as Pevre in 1086 and Pevere in 1278. The place takes its name from the River Peover Eye, and the river-name derives from Proto-Welsh *Peβr (British *Pebro-) ‘the bright one’; Eye is from Old English ēa ‘river’.

From Welsh ap Evor ‘son of Ifor’; see Ever. The name will have become indistinguishable from that in (1).

From Middle English peverer ‘seller of pepper’ (Old French peiverer pevrier). It was sometimes reduced to peivre, paiver, peyfore, and so on for ease of pronunciation.

It is impossible to distinguish from a nickname from peiver ‘pepper’. Compare Pepper.