Surname Jowett - Meaning and Origin

Jowett: What does the surname Jowett mean?

The surname Jowett is of English origin, derived from the old personal name "Jewett," which itself came from an Old French personal name, "Juwet, Juliot." Here, the "-et" suffix is a diminutive, meaning "little" or "young," hence the name may translate to "little Jew". It is also thought that "Jewett" may have been a nickname for someone who had some characteristic thought to be typically Jewish.

The name Jowett started appearing in documents during the 13th century in Yorkshire, England. As with most medieval European surnails, popularity arose due to the need for more detailed record-keeping and identification in the wake of increased urbanization.

Family crests associated with the Jowett name often depict black boars, symbolizing bravery, strength, and ferocity in battle. One of the most distinguished bearers of this name was Benjamin Jowett, a famous theologian and Classicist who served as the Master of Balliol College, Oxford in the 19th century.

Jowett: Where does the name Jowett come from?

The last name Jowett is of English origin. It primarily emerged from the West Yorkshire region in Northern England. The name is believed to have derived from the male personal name Jowet, which is a diminutive of the name Julian or Julien. It means "little Julien." During the Middle Ages, Jowett was a popular name among the locals of West Yorkshire.

The Jowett family has a rich history that dates back to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The surname was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Hopton.

In terms of regional distribution, the surname Jowett is most common in England, specifically in the region of Yorkshire. It's far less common, but there are also individuals with the surname Jowett found in Australia, Canada, the United States, New Zealand, and Scotland. The surname Jowett comes under the category of relatively uncommon surnames in these countries. Over the centuries, families with the surname Jowett have migrated and settled in different parts of the world, making the name's distribution quite widespread today.

Variations of the surname Jowett

The surname Jowett is of English origin, deriving from the Middle Ages. It is believed to have developed from the personal name Jewett or Jewitt, a diminutive of the personal name Julian or Julien.

Variations and alternate spellings of the surname Jowett can include Jowet, Jowitt, Jewet, Jewett, Juet, and Juett. It is believed these variations occurred due to different phonetic spellings by scribes and clerks who recorded names based on how they heard them spoken. Changes to surnames were also frequent during immigration, resulting in different spellings.

There are also similar surnames of the same origin, which could have developed separately but share a similar root. These include names like Jewitt, Jowetts, Jowit, Jowitte, Jowitts and Jowetson.

An important thing to note is that double letter usage such as 'tt' at the end of names is common in Northern England, while single letter endings, like 't', are more popular in the South, contributing to the variations.

There is a possibility that some branches of a family choose different spellings over time, leading to branches of the same family with different surnames.

Famous people with the name Jowett

• Jason Jowett: English football defender who played for Rochdale in the 2004-05 season.
• Frank Jowett: British Labour Co-operative politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Leeds North East from 1964 to 1970.
• Louise Jowett: English tennis player and a doubles specialist who won two women's doubles titles during her career.
• Sallie Jowett: Canadian artist, writer, and curator based in the United Kingdom.
• William Jowett: English author, diplomat, and civil servant who served as the British Ambassador to Sweden from 1872 to 1875.
• Peter Jowett: British watchmaker popular for his innovative creation of one of a kind watch designs.
• Thomas Jowett: English historian of religion who wrote several books on religious subjects.
• Emily Jowett: British actress, stand-up comedian, and writer who starred in BBC Three's Claude and sits on the committee for Womentorate Comedy Club.
• Henry Jowett: English theologian, preacher, and a leader of the Plymouth Brethren movement in the early 20th century.
• Christine Jowett: British flutist who is a professor at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

Other surnames

JoweteJowetsJowette