Brief Life History of James
When James Oliver was born in 1852, in Bowood, Dorset, England, United Kingdom, his father, George Oliver, was 36 and his mother, Ann Reader, was 27. He married Elizabeth Ann Sibley in September 1873, in Beaminster, Dorset, England, United Kingdom. They were the parents of at least 1 son. He lived in Bradford Abbas, Dorset, England, United Kingdom in 1891 and Sock Dennis, Somerset, England, United Kingdom in 1901.
Photos and Memories (0)
Do you know James? Do you have a story about him that you would like to share? Sign In or Create a FREE Account
Family Time Line
Sources (9)
- James Oliver, "England and Wales Census, 1881"
- James Oliver, "Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927"
- James Oliver, "England, Dorset, Parish Registers, 1538-1936"
Spouse and Children
Parents and Siblings
World Events (8)
1854 · The Crimean War
The Crimean War was fought between Russia and an alliance of Britain, France, Sardinia and Turkey on the Crimean Peninsula. Russia had put pressure on Turkey which threatened British interests in the Middle East.
1880 · School Attendance Becomes Mandatory for Children
School attendance became compulsory from ages five to ten on August 2, 1880.
1884
Art Nouveau Period (Art and Antiques).
Name Meaning
English (northern), southern Scottish, southern French, and German: from the Old French personal name Oliver (modern French Olivier). This became common largely through the influence of the immensely popular narrative poem Chanson de Roland, in which the warrior Oliver is the wise best friend of the doomed hero Roland. The two men were peers at the court of Charlemagne, and the name is probably of ancient Germanic origin. The name ostensibly means ‘olive tree’ (see Oliveira ), but this is almost certainly the result of folk etymology working on an unidentified ancient Germanic personal name, perhaps a cognate of Alvaro . Old Norse Óláf (see Olliff ) and ancient Germanic Alfhari (composed of the elements alf ‘elf’ and hari ‘army’) have also been suggested as sources, but both personal names are difficult to explain phonetically, especially the latter. The Anglo-Norman name has been established in Ireland (Louth) since at least the 14th century, and was reinforced in Ulster and Limerick by migrants from England in the 17th century. The surname is also borne by Jews, apparently as an adoption of the non-Jewish surname.
Catalan: generally a topographic name from oliver ‘olive tree’, but in some instances possibly related to a homonymous personal name (see 1 above).
History: The surname Oliver of French origin (see 1 above) is listed in the register of Huguenot ancestors recognized by the Huguenot Society of South Carolina.
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
Possible Related Names
Discover Even More
As a nonprofit, we offer free help to those looking to learn the details of their family story.