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Vere

Vere is an English surname, frequently encountered in its historical form de Vere. It is associated with a prominent medieval noble family whose name was often written with the de prefix to indicate origin from a place linked to the family’s holdings. In modern times, Vere appears mainly as a surname but can also surface in place-name contexts connected to the family’s history.

The most notable branch is the de Vere family, which rose to prominence in medieval England. The

Today, the surname Vere survives in English-speaking countries and is encountered in genealogical and heraldic contexts.

family
held
lands
in
what
is
now
Essex,
with
Castle
Hedingham
as
its
traditional
seat.
The
title
of
Earl
of
Oxford,
one
of
England’s
oldest
peerages,
was
created
in
the
12th
century
for
Aubrey
de
Vere,
establishing
the
lineage’s
long-standing
role
in
English
nobility.
Members
of
the
de
Vere
line
occupied
high
offices
and
played
significant
roles
in
politics,
military
affairs,
and
culture.
Perhaps
the
best
known
is
Edward
de
Vere,
the
17th
Earl
of
Oxford
(1550–1604),
a
major
Elizabethan
nobleman
whose
life
has
been
linked
to
literary
scholarship
and
debates
about
the
authorship
of
Shakespeare’s
works.
The
form
de
Vere
remains
a
common
historical
reference,
while
Vere
itself
appears
as
a
modern
surname
and
as
part
of
the
broader
heritage
associated
with
the
English
peerage.