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Show ContentsJeffery History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The Jeffery surname is a patronymic name that comes from the personal names Geoffrey and Godfrey. These names appear in Old English as Geffrey and in Old French as Jefroi or Jeufroi.

Goisfridus, Gaufridus and Gosfridus are all listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. 1 At this time people tended to only use a surname; forenames came years later. Galfridus was listed in Lincolnshire c. 1150 and Simon filius Gosfrei was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for Norfolk in 1210. Walter Geffrei was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for Norfolk in 1203 and Gefray was listed in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1243. 2

Geoffrey (d. 1093), was "Bishop of Coutances, [who] came of a noble Norman family settled at Montbrai, or, as pronounced in English, Mowbray, in the arrondissement of St. Lô; he was brother of Roger of Mowbray, and his sister Amicia married Roger of Albini. He was consecrated bishop of Coutances at Rouen on 10 April 1048, and is described as tall, handsome, and prudent." 3

Geoffrey of Gorham (d. 1146), was Abbot of St. Albans, and "was descended from ancestors of noble rank both in Normandy and in Maine, of which county he was a native. " 3

Geoffrey of Monmouth (1100?-1154), "otherwise Galfridus or Gaufridus Arturus, Galfridus Monemutensis, styled by Welsh writers Galffrai or Gruffyd ab Arthur, bishop of St. Asaph and chronicler, was either born or bred at Monmouth about the commencement of the twelfth century, and may have been at one time a monk of the Benedictine abbey there. He was the son of Arthur, who, according to Welsh authorities, was family priest of William, Earl of Gloucester, an apocryphal personage." 3

Early Origins of the Jeffery family

The surname Jeffery was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where early forms of the name were found: Goisfridus, Gaufridus, Gosfridus. Later in Lincolnshire, Galfridus was found c. 1150. It wasn't until 1210, for the name to emerge with a forename: Simian filius Gosfrie in the Curia Regis Rolls for Norfolk. Agnes Geffreys was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1283 and a few years later, Robert Geoffray was listed in the Assize Rolls for Staffordshire in 1293. 2

Early History of the Jeffery family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jeffery research. Another 198 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1327, 1332, 1333, 1340, 1379, 1450, 1499, 1566, 1578, 1610, 1613, 1643, 1645, 1647, 1674, 1685, 1689, 1703, 1720, 1723, 1768, 1772, 1776, 1777 and 1779 are included under the topic Early Jeffery History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jeffery Spelling Variations

The Welsh have an extremely large amount of spelling variations of their native surnames to their credit. It was up to the priest or the scribe taking the official records to determine how the spoken name was to be made literal. As time progressed, the old Brythonic names of Wales were recorded in English, which was especially problematic since the English language had extreme difficulty recording the highly inflected sounds of Cymraeg. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Jeffery have included Jeffreys, Jeffereys, Jefferies, Jeffers, Jefferis, Jefferyes, Jefferys, Jeffries, Jeffry, Jeffs, Jefries and many more.

Early Notables of the Jeffery family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys of Wem (1645-1689), Welsh jurist & politician, known as "The Hanging Judge," Lord Chancellor of Britain; George Jeffreys (ca.1610-1685), an English composer and organist to King Charles I at Oxford in 1643; and Sir Robert Geffrye (1613-1703), a Cornish merchant, Sheriff of London in 1674 and Lord Mayor of London in 1685. He was the "son of Robert Geffrey of...
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Jeffery Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jeffery World Ranking

In the United States, the name Jeffery is the 3,086th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 4 However, in Australia, the name Jeffery is ranked the 550th most popular surname with an estimated 7,025 people with that name. 5 And in New Zealand, the name Jeffery is the 999th popular surname with an estimated 757 people with that name. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Jeffery as 649th with 10,030 people. 7

Ireland Migration of the Jeffery family to Ireland

Some of the Jeffery family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Jeffery migration to the United States +

North America in the 1800s and 1900s saw the arrival of many Welsh people hoping to share in the wealth of land, work, and freedom that they felt North America held. Those who made the journey often attained those expectations, but only through an enormous amount of hard work, perseverance, and often a bout of good luck. These immigrants helped contribute to the growth of industry, commerce, and culture of both Canada and the United States. Discovered in the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Jeffery:

Jeffery Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Samuell Jeffery, who arrived in Virginia in 1643 8
  • John Jeffery, who landed in Maryland in 1669 8
Jeffery Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Stephen Jeffery, who landed in New York in 1822 8
  • Henry Jeffery, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1838 8
  • Mr. James Jeffery, (b. 1818), aged 22, English miner departing from England aboard the Ship "Royal Adelaide" arriving in the United States on 21st April 1840 9
  • Mr. Walter Jeffery, (b. 1810), aged 30, English miner departing from England aboard the ship "Royal Adelaide" arriving in the United States on 21st April 1840 9
  • Mr. J. Jeffery, (b. 1818), aged 23, Cornish settler departing from Falmouth aboard the ship "Cornwall" arriving in the United States on 3 June 1841 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Jeffery Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. Myrtle Jeffery, (b. 1900), aged 2, Cornish settler from Liskeard, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 30th August 1902 en route to Lead City, South Dakota, USA 10
  • Mr. William John Jeffery, (b. 1901), aged 11 months, Cornish settler from Liskeard, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 30th August 1902 en route to Lead City, South Dakota, USA 10
  • Miss Elizabeth Jeffery, (b. 1880), aged 22, Cornish settler from Liskeard, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 30th August 1902 en route to Lead City, South Dakota, USA 10
  • Mr. Frederick Jeffery, (b. 1886), aged 17, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 28th June 1903 en route to Calumet, Michigan, USA 10
  • Mr. Peter Jeffery, (b. 1882), aged 21, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "Campania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 25th April 1903 en route to Garden, Michigan, USA 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Jeffery migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Jeffery Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • William Jeffery, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
Jeffery Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Henry Jeffery, (b. 1831), aged 24, Cornish labourer, from Calstock, Cornwall, UK departing from Falmouth destined for Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Barque John" on 3rd May 1855 which sank after striking the reef, he survived the sinking 11
  • Mrs. Maria Jeffery, (b. 1830), aged 25, Cornish settler, from Calstock, Cornwall, UK departing from Falmouth destined for Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Barque John" on 3rd May 1855 which sank after striking the reef, she died in the sinking 11
  • Miss Mary A. Jeffery, (b. 1851), aged 4, Cornish settler, from Calstock, Cornwall, UK departing from Falmouth destined for Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Barque John" on 3rd May 1855 which sank after striking the reef, she died in the sinking 11
  • Mr. William Henry Jeffery, (b. 1854), aged 1, Cornish settler, from Calstock, Cornwall, UK departing from Falmouth destined for Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Barque John" on 3rd May 1855 which sank after striking the reef, he died in the sinking 11
  • W Jeffery, who landed in Victoria, British Columbia in 1862

Australia Jeffery migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Jeffery Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. George Jeffery, (b. 1786), aged 30, English convict who was convicted in Wiltshire, England for 14 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Fame" on 9th October 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
  • Mr. John Jeffery, (b. 1811), aged 16, British Errand Boy who was convicted in Sussex, England for life for house breaking, transported aboard the "Asia" on 19th November 1827, settling in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1881 13
  • Mr. Edward Jeffery, (b. 1799), aged 29 who was convicted in Kent, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bussorah Merchant" on 24th March 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
  • Mr. John Jeffery, Cornish settler convicted in Cornwall, UK on 7th August 1832, sentenced for life for stealing cattle, transported aboard the ship "Neva" on 27th July 1833 to New South Wales, Australia 15
  • Mr. William Jeffery, British Convict who was convicted in Barnstaple, Devonshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 25th April 1840, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 16
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Jeffery migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Jeffery Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Jeffery, aged 25, a farmer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duke of Roxburgh" in 1840 17
  • MAry Jeffery, aged 3, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duke of Roxburgh" in 1840 17
  • William Jeffery, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Harkaway" in 1858 18
  • George Jeffery, aged 24, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "City of Auckland" in 1872
  • Mrs. Harriett Jeffery, (b. 1854), aged 20, Cornish settler departing on 18th September 1874 aboard the ship "Geraldine Paget" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 27th December 1874 19
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Jeffery (post 1700) +

  • Alshon Jeffery (b. 1990), American NFL football wide receiver with the Chicago Bears
  • Sophia E. Jeffery, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Massachusetts, 1996 20
  • Scott A. Jeffery, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 15th District, 2000 20
  • Robert Emmett Jeffery (1875-1935), American politician, Member of Arkansas State Legislature, 1900; State Court Judge in Arkansas, 1910-15; U.S. Minister to Uruguay, 1915-21 20
  • James Jeffery, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Idaho, 2004 20
  • Harry S. Jeffery, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania 6th District, 1920 20
  • David E. Jeffery, American Republican politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Niagara County 1st District, 1920-23; Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1948 20
  • Simon Jeffery, the current president of Sega of America
  • Major General Philip Michael Jeffery AC, CVO, MC (1937-2020), Australian Army officer and vice-regal representative, 28th Governor of Western Australia (1993-2000), and the 24th Governor-General of Australia (2003-2008)
  • Mr. Herbert John Allan Jeffery B.E.M., British recipient of Medallist of the British Empire Medal 29th December 2018 for services to the community in Axminster, Devon 21
  • ... (Another 9 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
HMS Dorsetshire
  • Percy George Henry Jeffery (d. 1945), British Able Seaman aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 22
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. William Harry Jeffery, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 23
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. Charles Thomas Jeffery, American 1st Class Passenger from Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 24
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. William Alfred Jeffery (d. 1912), aged 28, English Controller from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 25

Suggested Readings for the name Jeffery +

  • A Genealogical Record of the Descendants of James Jeffery by Dale Hanks.
  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  6. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  7. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  8. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  9. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
  10. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  11. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/wreck_of_emigrant_ship_john_1855.pdf
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1827
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bussorah-merchant
  15. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_convicts.pdf
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1840
  17. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 5th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  18. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  19. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
  20. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  21. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
  22. Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
  23. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  24. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  25. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
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