Jernigan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Jernigan is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Jernigan family lived in Suffolk. "The surname, now rare, is found particularly in Suffolk where Little Stonham, also known as Stanham Gernagan (1244 Feet of Fines for Suffolk), was long held by the family of Hubert Jarnegan (1222 Feet of Fines for Suffolk). In [the Domesday Book of ] 1086 [1] land was held in Stonham by Earl Alan and Iuichel the priest and there can be little doubt that Gernagan is a Celtic name brought over by the Bretons at the Conquest." [2]

Early Origins of the Jernigan family

The surname Jernigan was first found in Norfolk, where one of the first records of the name appeared as a forename: Jernegan Fitz-Hugh who was listed there in 1180. The surname was probably derived as someone who was "the son of Gernegan." Jernegan was anciently a Christian name that appeared in quite a few records. "The first that I meet with of this family was called Hugh, without any other addition, whose son was named Jernegan Fitz-Hugh, or the son of Hugh; he is mentioned in the Castle-Acre priory register, and he died about 1182."

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list William Gernegon in Norfolk and Walter Gernegan in Suffolk. [3] The Jernegan spelling was used by Lord Stafford's ancestors until the 16th century when the name was changed to Jerningham. His successors took the baptismal name Jernegan as their surname. [4]

"A branch of the Jerningham family was established at Painswick, in Bisley hundred [in Gloucestershire]. Sir Henry Jerningham, the second Baronet of his family, married Mary, daughter of Benedict Hall, of High Meadow, Esq." [5]

Early History of the Jernigan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jernigan research. Another 181 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1182, 1222, 1547, 1550, 1553, 1571 and 1762 are included under the topic Early Jernigan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jernigan Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Jernigan are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Jernigan include Jernegan, Jerningham, Jernygham, Jernigan, Jenningham, Jenningan and many more.

Early Notables of the Jernigan family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Henry Jerningham (d. 1571), an adherent of Queen Mary, the eldest son and heir of Sir Edward Jernegan of Huntingfield, Suffolk, by his second wife, Mary, daughter of Lord Scroop. The manor of Cossey (or Costessy), Norfolk, was granted him in 1547, and he thus became the founder of the Cossey branch of the Jernegan family, spelling the name Jerningham to distinguish his branch from the Somerleyton Jernegans. " He was the first to appear openly...
Another 84 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Jernigan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jernigan Ranking

In the United States, the name Jernigan is the 1,876^th most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. [6]

Jernigan migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Jernigan, or a variant listed above:

Jernigan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Aaron Jernigan (1813-1891), the first settler of Orange County, Florida who arrived there from Georgia in 1843, eponym of Jernigan, Florida, honored as "Orlando's first settler"

Jernigan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Harry Jernigan, aged 21, who settled in America, in 1917
Wade F. Jernigan, aged 32, who immigrated to America, in 1919
Clarence Jernigan, aged 19, who immigrated to the United States, in 1920
Johni Jernigan, aged 21, who immigrated to the United States, in 1921
W. F. Jernigan, aged 35, who landed in America, in 1922

Contemporary Notables of the name Jernigan (post 1700) +

Jerrel Jernigan (b. 1989), American NFL football wide receiver for the New York Giants
Tamara Elizabeth "Tammy" Jernigan (b. 1959), American scientist & former NASA astronaut with over 1,512 hours in space, she flew on five space shuttle missions [7]
Kenton Jernigan, American squash player in the 1980s and 1990s who won the US national singles title three consecutive times (1983 to 1985)
Norman Kenneth Jernigan (1926-1998), American blind civil rights activist, leader of the National Federation of the Blind
Gerald D. Jernigan (1942-2006), American politician, Mayor of the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan (1987 to 1991)
Doug Jernigan (b. 1946), American musician, inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1994
Dennis Jernigan (b. 1959), American Christian singer-songwriter
Gerald D. Jernigan (1942-2006), American Republican politician, Mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1987-91; Defeated, 1991 [8]
Ellen Jernigan, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Mississippi, 2000; Delegate to Republican National Convention from Mississippi, 2008 [8]
Curtis Jernigan, American Democratic Party politician, Chair of Bullock County Democratic Party, 2003 [8]
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Jernigan Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Virtus basis vitae
Motto Translation: Virtue is the support of life.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Oliver, George, Collections Illustrating the History of the Catholic Religion in the Counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wilts, and Gloucester London: Charles Dolman, 61, New Bond Street, 1857. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
NASA Astronauts Homepage. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Tamara Jernigan. Retrieved from http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/jernigan.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html