Jeffson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Wales
Ireland

This Jeffson surname comes from the Norman personal names Geoffrey and Godfrey. These names appear in Middle English as Geffrey and in Old French as Jefroi or Jeufroi. Galfridus and Gaufridus are early forms of the name; these indicate a Germanic first element derived from either "gala," which means "to sing," or "gawi," which means "region" or "territory." 1

The surname Jeffson also features the patronymic suffix "-son," which superseded all other such suffixes in popularity by the 14th century and was most common in the north of Britain. This suffix was sometimes abbreviated to "-s."

Early Origins of the Jeffson family

The surname Jeffson was first found in Staffordshire where Robert Geffreysone was recorded in the Assize Rolls for 1344. Years later, the family emerged in Yorkshire where Alice Geffrason was listed in 1488 and later John Jeffrason was listed as a Freeman of York in 1528. 2

The Jeffersons of Virginia which included US President Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) probably hailed from England.

Early History of the Jeffson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jeffson research. Another 165 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1344, 1488, 1528, 1609, 1640, 1641, 1648, 1658, 1691, 1720, 1743, 1797 and 1826 are included under the topic Early Jeffson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jeffson Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Jeffers, Jefferson, Jeffson, Jephson and others.

Early Notables of the Jeffson family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William Jephson (1609-1658), a Member of Parliament for Stockbridge (1640-1648), served in the Parliamentary army and was Cromwell's envoy to Sweden. He was "the eldest son of Sir John Jephson of Froyle, Hampshire, and Elizabeth, his wife, daughter and coheiress of Sir Thomas Norreys of Mallow, co. Cork. He was one of the representatives of Stockbridge, Hampshire, in the Long parliament, and...
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Jeffson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Jeffson family to Ireland

Some of the Jeffson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 53 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Jeffson family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Jeffson or a variant listed above: John Jefferson, who came to Virginia in 1620; Mary Jefferson, who settled in Virginia in 1653; Edmund Jefferson, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1682; Robert Jefferson, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1774.

Citations +

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