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Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel.
You asked whether the name <Avery> was used as either a given name or a surname in Europe before 1600. Here's what we found.
We found one <Avery de Dayce> in England in 1273. [1] Another source lists <Rogerus filius Alvredi> in 1166, <Hugo filius Auveray> and <Willelmus filius Averay> in 1275, and <Alvrei venator> in 1294; these forms are all English names recorded in Latin records.[2] The form "name filius name" translates to "<name> <son> <of name>". Yet another source lists the form <Avere> in 1608, and says that the form <Alvery> was used into the 18th century. The same source also provides two French forms: <Alveré> and <Auveré>.[3] The slash (/) represents an acute accent on the preceding vowel.
We also found several surname forms of <Avery>: <Nicholas Auverey> in 1273, <William Auure> and <Walter Averay> in 1275, <Cust Alvere> <Edmund
Avered> and <Walter Averey> in 1279, and < Richard Avore> in 1428. The
surname is still in use today, so we expect to find other 16th century
examples as well.
The name <Avery> appears to be a French variation on the English name <Alfred>--<Alfred> was Latinized as <Alveredus>, taken into French in the forms shown earlier, and readapted into English in the forms also shown above. [2, 3]
So, forms of <Avery> should be appropriate as either a given name or a surname in England from around the mid-12th century until well after the 16th century.
If you are interested in constructing a name using a form of <Avery>, and you would like our help or comments, please write us.
We hope this letter has been useful. Please write us again if any part of it has been unclear or if you have other questions. Talan Gwynek, Arval d'Espas Nord, Alan Fairfax,Aryanhwy Prytydes merch Catmael Caermyrdin, and Livia Montgomery aided in researching and writing this letter.
In Service,
Margaret Makafee
[1] Bardsley, Charles. A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames.
[2] Reaney, P.H. and R.M. Wilson. A Dictionary of English Surnames, 3rd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995
[3] Withycombe, E.G. The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, 3rd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press: 1976