Surname Jowitt - Meaning and Origin

Jowitt: What does the surname Jowitt mean?

Jowitt is a surname of Old Norse origin, primarily found in Yorkshire, England. The last name is derived from two elements. 'Jow' originates from the name 'Joh,' a common medieval short form of 'John,' which means 'Jehovah has been gracious.' The second element, 'witt,' comes from 'whit,' which means 'a creature' or 'an entity'. So, the overall meaning of 'Jowitt' could be interpreted as 'God's creature.' The surname dates back to the Middle Ages, showcasing its deep roots in English and Old Norse history. The name may have initially been a nickname or an occupational name, given to someone who possessed certain traits, or referred to his/her profession. In the past, surnames often held significant meanings that helped identify individuals, their professions and familial lineage.

Jowitt: Where does the name Jowitt come from?

The surname Jowitt is of Anglo-Saxon origin, believed to have originated in Yorkshire, England, during the early medieval period. It is derived from the Middle English given name "Jolliffe," which means "son of Jolif." "Jolif" is an Old French name that means "jolly" or "merry," and was likely used as a nickname before converting into a surname.

"Jowitt" is a patronymic surname, meaning it was based on the name of a father or male ancestor. It is typical of the many surnames in this category that emerged in Britain after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Despite its origins, the Jowitt surname is no longer very common in the UK. However, individuals with the surname Jowitt can still be found predominantly in the UK and other English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. It's worth noting that population movements, modern spelling variants, and name changes over the centuries may have influenced its current distribution.

Variations of the surname Jowitt

The surname Jowitt originates from England and is derived from the medieval personal name Joce, which is the Old French form of the given name Joyce. Other surnames of the same origin include Joyce, Joice, and Joist.

Variant spellings can often be seen with such old names due to the historical lack of standardization in English spelling. Thus, in addition to Jowitt, you can find the surname written as Jowett, Jouet, Jowet, Jowette, and even Jowit in English-language historical documents. Two individuals with these different spellings may indeed share a common ancestor.

The name might have also been influenced by the Old French word "jouet" which means "plaything or jewel", a term of endearment when used as a name.

However, please be mindful that while spelling variations may arise from the same ancestor, they may also arise independently from different roots.

Surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, etc. They tell us a lot about our ancestors and even contribute to our personal identities.

Famous people with the name Jowitt

• Emma Jowitt—British politician
• Randall Jowitt—Canadian gender historian
• Charlie Jowitt—English television producer and director
• Gordon Jowitt—former British Army officer and English cricketer
• Dave Jowitt—former professional English footballer
• Rob Jowitt—British astronomer
• Mark Jowitt—former British racing driver
• Jack Jowitt—English sprint canoeist
• Dean Jowitt—English professional footballer
• Michael Jowitt—English poet and lyricist

Other surnames

Jowit