Recorded in several spellings as shown below, this is a very interesting aristocratic English surname, but one of Norman-French origins.First introduced into England at or very shortly after, the famous Norman Conquest of 1066, today it is most associated with the West Riding of Yorkshire in Northern England. Originally it was locational from a village called Sainville in the department of Eure-et-Loire, in the former dukedom of Normandy. This place was named from the pre 8th century French word "Saisne" meaning a Saxon, as in the Germanic tribes from Saxony, who also conquered England, and the suffix "-ville" meaning a large house or settlement. In England the enobled Saville family have held lands in Yorkshire since the 13th century, and during the English Civil War of 1640 - 1660, Lord Saville was a strong supporter of the Parliamentary side. The surname development over the centuries includes such examples as: Stephende Savile of Yorkshire in the year 1277, John Savyell of Yorkshire in 1431, Rosemunda Savell also of Yorkshire in 1549, whilst Ann Sivill in 1671 and John Sivell in 1723, were both recorded in the city of London. Spellings of the modern surname include: Saville, Savill, Savil, Saveall, Savyell, Seville, Sivill, Sivell and Saywell. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of John de Sayvill. This was dated 1246, in the Fines Court records of Yorkshire, during the reign of King Henry 111, 1216 - 1272. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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