How do you spell "Cheevers"? Roughly, and with lots of exceptions:

CAPRA = The connection here is a little confusing. This spelling is sometimes seen in reference to William Cheever, who is recorded in the Domesday Book (1087). The Domesday Book was written in Latin, and 'Capra' is latin for 'goat' just as 'Chievre' is French for the same. However, I have a copy of the Latin text of the Domesday Book, and it has the name spelled 'Chievre'. So are some secondary sources translating a French name in a Latin text into a Latin name in an English text? I guess so.

CHIEVRE = The branch that stayed on the continent?

CHEEVERS = The spelling developed by the branches which stayed on the Wexford coast and in Dublin.

CHEVERS = The spelling developed by the branch seated in Macetown, Co Meath.

CHEEVER = The spelling which developed by the branch which stayed behind in (or re-migrated? to) England and Wales

CHIVERS = A common spelling in Co. Wiltshire, England, especially at the town of Devizes and the city of Swindon. Presumably related to the same early Flemish-Norman ancestors.

SHIVERS = An evolution of the name around 1663 of a Chevers family settled in early America. The full story can be found in Thom Montgomery's research, viewable at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~palsgaard/shivers/THOMAS CHEVERS .htm. According to the United States 1990 census, there are approximately

3000 CHEEVER
3000 CHIVERS
500 CHEEVERS
na CHEVERS
na CHIEVRE
(na = below the minimum number necessary to be reported)

I have seen surname counts (for non-cheevers) for Ireland and Canada, so I know they are out there, but I haven't found the source documents yet.