Haven
A surname usually referring to someone who lived by a harbour or sheltered landing place.
The #9,043 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 85,430 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is most naturally explained as a locational name from Middle English haven, meaning a harbour, port, or sheltered place for landing. The word goes back to Old English hafene, ultimately from the same Germanic root as modern English 'harbor' and related maritime terms. In some Scottish usage, the word could also refer to a hollow or sheltered part of a hill, which may have influenced a few instances.
History
19th-century surname dictionaries treat Haven as a place-based surname, with early forms like 'atte Havene' and 'de la Havene' showing the original meaning 'at the haven.' The name appears in English records from the medieval period, and related place-names such as Whitehaven and Milford Haven helped keep the word familiar. The surname Havens is usually treated as a later plural or patronymic-style variant rather than a different origin.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older Scots, a 'haven' could mean not only a harbour but also a sheltered hollow on a hill, which gives the name a second landscape-based nuance.
From the historical record
“HAVEN. HAVENS. 1. From resi- dence near a port or haven. In Scotland the hollow or sheltered part of a hill is called the liaaf or haven. HAVILAND. A member of the ancient Norman family of DeHavillandof Guernsey settled in Somersetshire temp. Henry VII., and founded this surname in England. Gent. ]\Iag., June…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom