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Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • North German : metonymic occupational name for a grower of or dealer in oats, from Low German Haver ‘oats’. Compare Hafer, Haber.
  • Dutch : of uncertain derivation; possibly a Brabantine form of de Hauwer, an occupational name for a wood or stone cutter, Middle Dutch hauwer(e) ‘cutter’, ‘hewer’.
  • English : from Middle English haver ‘oats’, applied as a metonymic occupational name for a farmer who grew oats or for a grain merchant.
  • English : possibly a nickname from Middle English haver ‘buck’, ‘billy-goat’.

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