Show ContentsJeffcoats History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Jeffcoats

What does the name Jeffcoats mean?

Jeffcoats is one of the oldest family names to come from the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from the baptismal name for the son of Geoffrey. 1

Early Origins of the Jeffcoats family

The surname Jeffcoats was first found in Worcestershire where Geoffrey Geffcoke was registered in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. A few years later, William Gefcok was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire in 1332 and again, in Staffordshire, Emota Jeffecockes was registered there in the Subsidy Rolls for 1380. 2

Early History of the Jeffcoats family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jeffcoats research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1616 and 1713 are included under the topic Early Jeffcoats History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jeffcoats Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Jeffcoats has undergone many spelling variations, including Jefcott, Jeffcott, Jefcote, Jeffcoat, Jefcock and many more.

Early Notables of the Jeffcoats family

More information is included under the topic Early Jeffcoats Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Jeffcoats family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Jeffcoats were among those contributors: Henry Jeffcoat and his wife Rebecca and three children arrived in New York in 1820; E. Jefcott arrived in New York in 1852.



  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)


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