Povall Family History

A variant of Pover (see Povey) with excrescent -ll comes from an unidentified French place called Poville. Wido de Poville held a third of a fee of Ranulf II of Chester in 1144; Hugo de Poville held half a fee in Yorks of William de Percy in 1166.

Serlo de Poville witnessed grants in York (about 1180-1200) and in 1209 his widow had a plea of dower in Farnley (WR Yorks); see Domesday Descendants pp. 647-8. Whether this family name survived beyond the early 13th century is not clear.

It is uncertain if the Poville family contributed to the modern name Povall.