Show ContentsJester Surname History

  • Origins Available:
  • England
Extended Surname History Download (PDF) - Letter Size

Extended Surname History Download (PDF) - Letter Size

Etymology of Jester

What does the name Jester mean?

The Jester name, like many surnames, is most likely occupational in origin, coming from the Old French "geste," meaning "joke" or "exploits" or the Middle English "gester," meaning "buffoon, mimic or professional reciter of romances." The first bearer of the name would therefore probably be a jester by profession, though at the time jesters were closer to the latter meaning of one who recites romances, than to the modern concept of the court fool. It is also possible that the name originated as a nickname, being given to one who displayed jester-like characteristics.

Early Origins of the Jester family

The surname Jester was first found in Colchester, where the name first appeared in the late 14th century.

Early History of the Jester family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jester research. Another 61 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1377, 1665, 1666 and 1802 are included under the topic Early Jester History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jester 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 Jester has undergone many spelling variations, including Jester, Gestour, Gester and others.

Early Notables of the Jester family

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

Jester Ranking

the United States, the name Jester is the 6,360th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Jester migration to the United States +

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 Jester were among those contributors:

Jester Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Elias Jester, aged 38, who landed in America, in 1894
  • Mrs. A. JEster, aged 37, who landed in America, in 1894
  • Jacob Jester, aged 26, who landed in America, in 1896
Jester Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Claude W. Jester, who immigrated to the United States, in 1904
  • William Jester, aged 41, who settled in America, in 1904
  • Mrs. L.L. Jester, who immigrated to America, in 1905
  • James Jester, aged 43, who immigrated to the United States, in 1905
  • Louis Jester, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States, in 1906
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Jester (post 1700) +

  • Virgil Milton Jester (1927-2016), American Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1952 to 1953
  • George Taylor Jester (1847-1922), American politician, Lieutenant Governor of Texas (1895 to 1899), father of Beauford H. Jester
  • Tom Jester, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Texas State House of Representatives 64th District, 1998 2
  • Perry Northen Jester (1902-1982), American politician, U.S. Consul in Barbados, 1935-36; Southampton, 1937-39; Lagos, 1940-42; Colombo, 1947-48; U.S. Consul General in Dakar, 1949 3
  • Manlove Howard Jester, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Wilmington, Delaware, 1909-13 3
  • John Boone Jester (1895-1938), American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Delaware, 1936 3
  • Doug Jester, American politician, Mayor of East Lansing, Michigan, 1995-97 3
  • Beauford Halbert Jester (1893-1949), American Democratic Party politician, Governor of Texas, 1947-49; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1948 3
  • Robert Jester (b. 1962), Canadian professional hockey player
  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

Houseofnames.com on Facebook