Show ContentsJoiner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Joiner Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Joiner

What does the name Joiner mean?

The distinguished surname Joiner was first brought to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name is derived from the Old French "engigneor" or "enginior," meaning "engineer, maker of military machines." During the 12th century, the term "ingeniator" was used to refer to men who worked as both master-mason and architect. 1

The Joyner variant is "an occupative term came into use somewhat later than carpenter." 2 Waldinus Ingeniator (the engineer) occurs in the Domesday Book of Lincolnshire, as a tenant in chief. 3

Early Origins of the Joiner family

The surname Joiner was first found in Yorkshire during the 12th century. The first recorded bearer of the name was Ailnoth Ingeniator, a military architect who served as surveyor of royal buildings in 1157. He supervised building operations at Windsor between 1166 and 1173, repaired Westminster Abbey after a fire, and headed the destruction of Framlingham and Walton Castles. 4

Other early bearers of the name include Richard Lenginnur, recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire between 1191 and 1197, and William Enginur, who was living in Suffolk in 1202. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Hugh le Ginnur in Oxfordshire and William le Engynur in Suffolk. 2 William Joynier was Lord Mayor of London in 1239.

Records in Scotland are very scarce, but here the name is a "variant of Jenner, influenced by the occupative name 'joiner.' Alexander Joyner in Aberdeen, 1798. As far as the Jenner variant is concerned, the first on record here was Anneys la Gynnere del counte de Berewyk who rendered homage to King Edward I of England in 1296. "In 1392 there is reference to the tenement of Alan Gynowr in Edinburgh, Patrik Genour held lands in Inverness in 1452, umquhile Thomas Genor is referred to in 1492, Donald Jenor, 'legislator,' is mentioned in 1499, William Genour was tenant of the Casteltoun, Ardmanoch in 1504." 5

Early History of the Joiner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Joiner research. Another 175 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1296, 1452, 1564, 1622, 1631, 1637, 1656, 1662, 1668, 1676, 1678, 1687, 1691, 1706, 1707 and 1750 are included under the topic Early Joiner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Joiner Spelling Variations

The name Joiner, appeared in many references, and from time to time, the surname was spelt Jenner, Joyner, Joiner, Junor, Junior, Genner, Ginner, Genower and many more.

Early Notables of the Joiner family

David Jenner (died 1691), an English clergyman and controversialist, educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. "Afterwards he became a fellow of Sidney Sussex College, and took the degree of M.A. by royal mandate in 1662, and that of B.D., also by royal mandate, in 1668. He was installed in the prebend of Netherbury in the cathedral church of Salisbury 28 June 1676, and was instituted on 15 Oct. 1678 to the rectory of Great Warley, Essex, which he resigned in or about October 1687. He was likewise chaplain to the king. He died in 1691." 6 Thomas Jenner (fl. 1631-1656), was an English...
Another 137 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Joiner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Joiner Ranking

the United States, the name Joiner is the 1,580th most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 7

Joiner migration to the United States +

The New World beckoned as many of the settlers in Ireland, known as the Scotch/Irish, became disenchanted. They sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. Some called them, less romantically, the "coffin ships." Amongst the early settlers who could be considered kinsmen of the Joiner family, or who bore a variation of the surname Joiner were

Joiner Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mary Joiner, who landed in Virginia in 1652 9
Joiner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Edward Joiner, who arrived in New England in 1740 9
  • Danl Joiner, who landed in Virginia in 1789 9
Joiner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • B Joiner, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 9
  • J Joiner, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 9

Joiner migration to Canada +

Joiner Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Isaac Joiner, who landed in Canada in 1841

Joiner migration to Australia +

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

First Fleet
  • Mr. James Joiner, (d. 1791), British settler convicted at Middlesex, England in 1789, sentenced to Life for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Scarborough" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 8
  • Mr. Henry Joiner, (1770 - 1839), aged 19, British settler convicted at Worcestershire, England in 1787, sentenced to 7 years for breaking and entering, transported aboard the ship "Neptune, Scarborough or Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 9
Following the First Fleet, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Joiner Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Joiner, British convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Bussorah Merchant" on 1st October 1829, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10

Joiner 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:

Joiner Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Frederick George Joiner, aged 30, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Avalanche" in 1875
  • Charlotte Joiner, aged 29, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Avalanche" in 1875
  • Emma Joiner, aged 4, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Avalanche" in 1875
  • Ellen Joiner, aged 3, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Avalanche" in 1875
  • Mary Joiner, aged under 1, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Avalanche" in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name Joiner (post 1700) +

  • Timothy Lane "Tim" Joiner (1961-2023), American NFL linebacker for the Houston Oilers and Denver Broncos (1983-1987)
  • Charles Wycliffe Joiner (b. 1916), former United States federal judge
  • Thomas Joiner, American academic psychologist and leading expert on suicide
  • Billy Joiner, American boxer
  • Roy Merrill Joiner (1906-1989), American professional baseball player
  • Michael Joiner (b. 1981), American professional basketball player
  • Jason Russell "Rusty" Joiner (b. 1972), American male fashion model, fitness model and actor
  • Charles B. Joiner Jr. (b. 1947), former American football player
  • Craig Joiner (b. 1974), he won 25 caps playing on the wing for the Scottish rugby union side
Monongah Mine
  • Mr. Gilbert Joiner (b. 1883), African American coal miner who was in mine 8 at the Monongah Mine on 6th December 1907 when it exploded and collapsed; he died 11

Suggested Readings for the name Joiner +

  • Joyner (also Joiner) of Southampton by Ulysses P. Joyner.
  • The Woodbine Twineth by Shirley Joiner Thompson.
  1. Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  6. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  7. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  8. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  9. 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)
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bussorah-merchant
  11. Monongah Mining Disaster retrieved on 8th August 2021. Retrieved from https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/monongah.htm

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