The Evolution of the BECHERVAISE Family

The first record that we have so far of the name is in “Les Ententes” of 1331 on the Island of Jersey. There it is recorded that Colinus BOISCERVOISE was recorded as having taken an oath, or sworn under oath some details of the Parish of St. Martin as it affected  King Edouard (in the fifteenth year of his reign).

The novel” Braveheart” situated in the Normandy / Brittany region of France;  talks about someone called BoisGilbert, obviously a name referring to the place he came from or named after him.  In like manner Cervoise must have been a proper name which evolved from an association with a forest or wood.

The records in the Jersey Family History archives have the following spellings of the name as registered in legal documents.

 

1602-08                     Bechervoese, Becervoise, Boycervoise

1608-11                     Becervese, Becervoize, Becervaise

 

1612                From then onwards our” Béchervaise” seems to have become the standard.

 It is noteworthy that although the Australian and English branches of the family still retains the é (e with the accent);  this detail has been dropped from the name on the  Canadian branch of the family tree.

 

Lynden Bechervaise, 2008