Surname Chave - Meaning and Origin
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Chave: What does the surname Chave mean?
The last name Chave is a French surname that is believed to have originated from the word "chauve", which means bald or balding. It is not entirely clear how this word came to be used as a surname, but some suggest that it may have been related to a physical characteristic or may have referred to someone who was particularly striking due to having unusually good looks, or a bald head.
The first known usage of the name Chave dates back to the 11th century in France. At that time, the name was widely used throughout northern and western France, as well as the Loire Valley. There is also evidence of the name being used in the Midlands of England prior to the Norman Invasion of 1066.
Surnames derived from features of the landscape, objects, or other objects of interest were also common in this period, and so it is possible that the Chave name may be derived from such sources. It is possible that the name Chave may in fact be associated with a distinctive geographic feature.
The name Chave is said to mean “valley”, which is fitting for someone from the Loire Valley region, where the name is most widely found today. The family was likely associated with the local farming community or the Chavagne family who were from the region.
Today, there are many variations of the name Chave found throughout Europe, such as Chavigny in France, or even Chaves in Portugal and Spain. It is also quite widespread across the United States where more Americans have adopted the name and its variations than in France.
Order DNA origin analysisChave: Where does the name Chave come from?
The last name Chave is most commonly found in countries of Portuguese influence such as Portugal, Brazil, and Angola. The surname is also found among people of Spanish ancestry, particularly the Spanish-speaking regions of Latin America.
In Portugal, Chave is quite a common surname, ranking in the top 300 in 2018. In fact, the last name is believed to have originated from the Portuguese province of Aveiro, in north-central Portugal, which is where the majority of people who bear the last name Chave can be found today.
In Brazil, Chave is a less common surname, but it is still found among Portuguese-descended and Spanish-descended people throughout the country. The Chave family is also found among the Brazilian population of Azorean origin.
In Latin America, the last name Chave is also common. It can be found among other Latin American countries such as Mexico, Chile, and Argentina, as well as the majority of Spanish-speaking Hispanophone countries.
No matter the region, the last name Chave is almost always of Portuguese or Spanish origin, making it one of the most common surnames of Portuguese or Spanish origin in the world today.
Variations of the surname Chave
The surname Chave is an anglicised version of the original French surname ‘Chauve’, derived from Latin ‘calvus’, meaning ‘bald’. Variants of the surname are: Chauve, Chaves, chauvi, Chavasse, Chauvel, Chaveau, Chaveneau, Chavigny, Chauvin, Chavonne, Chevillot, Chovet, Chauvois, Chavot, Chevillier, Chevignon, Choveau, Chevrie, Chevrel, Chevret, Chevrier, Chovet, Chion, Chaveau, Chaveneau, Schave, Chaves, Shave, Shav and Shaughnessy.
The surname Chave is most commonly found in France and Canada but also in Ireland, England, Australia, the United States, New Zealand and other parts of the world.
In Canada, the variant spelling “Chavel” is used more often. There is also the American version “Shave”, which may have originated in Belgium, where the word “schave” means “bald”.
In Ireland, the variants “Shaughnessy” and “Chavot” are used.
In the United States, the variants Chavonne, Chaveau, Chaveau, Chovillot, Chevillier, Chevret, Chevignon, Chovot, Chevrie, Chevel, Chion, Schave,ine and Shave are more popular.
In France, Chaveau, Chaveneau, Chauvi, Chavigny, Chauvois, Chevillier, and Chion are commonly used.
In Australia, the common variants are Chevillier, Chaveau, Chave, and Chovot. In New Zealand, the variations are Chaves, Chovet, Schave, and Shave.
Overall, Chave is a very popular surname and its derivatives are found in different parts of the world. It is derived from the Latin ‘calvus’, which means ‘bald,’ and variants can be found in France, Canada, the United States, Ireland, England, Australia, and New Zealand.
Famous people with the name Chave
- Jordan Chaves: Brazilian professional soccer player
- Vinicius Chaves: Brazilian professional soccer player
- Paulo Chaves: Brazilian professional soccer player
- Thomas Chaves: Portuguese professional soccer player
- Pedro Chaves: Portuguese professional futsal player
- Miguel Chaves: Portuguese professional futsal player
- Nicolas Chaves: Argentine professional handball player
- Abel Chaves: Chilean professional soccer player
- Francisco Chaves: Chilean professional soccer player
- August Chaves: Italian-American comic book artist
- Gil Chaves: Brazilian-American guitarist and producer
- Rachel Chaves: Chilean singer and TV host
- José Bastos Chaves: Portuguese painter
- Cecilia Chaves: Argentine textile designer
- César Chaves: Uruguayan politician
- Rafael Chaves: Spanish classical guitarist
- Gabriel Chaves: Argentine classical guitarist
- Igor Chaves: Brazilian jazz saxophonist
- Alejandro Chaves: Salvadoran painter
- Elías Chaves: Honduran economist