1) A regional word for oats, first noted as an element in a by-name, possibly an occupational nickname for a maker of ‘havercake’ or haver bread.
1301 De Johanne Haverkake, Yarm. This word remained in use: 1672 gave Good Aile and Haver-Cacke there, Flockton and ‘Havercake Lads’ was the nickname of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, recruited mostly in the West Riding. In c.1760 a Wakfield clothier included details of How to make haver bread a cheap way in his Memorandum Book. The Civic Records of York contain much earlier passages which illustrate the word’s history, e.g. 1477 it is enacted ... that no havermele maker of this Citie ... cum into the havermarket ... to by [buy]non haver ... unto a xj of the clok be striken. Other references include: 1543 In the haver barne, haver unbarryd, Brettanby
1612 one scyve two haver riddles, Eccleshill
1642 The furthest roomestead in the haver-barne next the East holdeth 34 loades, Elmswell.