Jermin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Ireland

The generations and branches of the Jermin family share a name that has its roots in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. The name Jermin comes from the baptismal name German. The surname Jermin referred to the son of German which belongs to the category of patronymic surnames. In Old English, patronyms were formed by adding a variety of suffixes to personal names, which changed over time and from place to place. For example, after the Norman Conquest, sunu and sune, which meant son, were the most common patronymic suffixes. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the most common patronymic names included the word filius, which meant son. By the 14th century, the suffix son had replaced these earlier versions. Surnames that were formed with filius or son were more common in the north of England and it was here that the number of individuals without surnames was greatest at this time.

Early Origins of the Jermin family

The surname Jermin was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where the original Latin form of the name Germanus was first listed. 1

As a forename Jerman filius Willelmi was found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1248. John Jarman was listed in Norfolk in 1227. Phillippus Germani was found in the Feet of Fines for Dorset in 1236. Johannes Jeremie was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Yorkshire in 1196. 2

Early History of the Jermin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jermin research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1539, 1573, 1579, 1591, 1604, 1605, 1611, 1614, 1624, 1628, 1629, 1636, 1645, 1659, 1666, 1667, 1668, 1684, 1692, 1708, 1712 and 1724 are included under the topic Early Jermin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jermin Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Jermin include Jarman, Jarmain, Jermayne, Jermain, Jermyn, Jermin and many more.

Early Notables of the Jermin family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Michael Jermin or German (1591-1659), was an English divine, born at Knows, Devonshire and was the son of Alexander Jermin, merchant and sheriff of Exeter, of which place his grandfather was twice may...

Migration of the Jermin family to Ireland

Some of the Jermin family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jermin migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Jermin or a variant listed above:

Jermin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Jermin, who arrived in Virginia in 1656 3

The Jermin 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: nec ab oriente nec ab occidente
Motto Translation: Neither from the east nor from the west.

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)
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)