Rich,
Your grandfather, Joseph Tanned Lovan, was my third cousin. His father was Oscar W Lovan. His grandfather was Adolphus D Lovan, son of Oscar Fitzlin Lovan. Oscar Fitzlin and my g-g-grandfather Daniel Riley Lovan were brothers. Our common ancestor, John Loving, their father.
John and his children changed the spelling of the last name to Lovan around 1844 according to family Bible.
We predate the Revolution by at least two generations. While absolute proof has not been found , we are possibly Jamestown descents.
Lovan, Loving, is English not Germanic. There was speculation it was French from Louvaine. It is possible. But not of the royal line. The Vietnamese who took the name Lovan, I was told adopted it from French plantation owners.