Joslen Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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The notable Joslen family arose among the Cornish People, a race with a rich Celtic heritage and an indomitable fighting spirit who inhabited the southwest of England. While surnames were well-known during the English medieval period, Cornish People originally used only a single name. The way in which hereditary surnames came into common use is interesting. As the population of medieval Europe multiplied, people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Patronymic surnames were derived from given names and were the predominant type of surname among the Celtic peoples of Britain. However, the people of Cornwall provide a surprising exception to this rule, and patronymic surnames are less common among them than other people of Celtic stock, such as their Welsh neighbors. This is due to the greater influence of English bureaucracy and naming practices in Cornwall at the time that surnames first arose. This type of surname blended perfectly with the prevailing Feudal System. One feature that is occasionally found in Cornish surnames of this type is the suffix -oe or -ow; this is derived from the Cornish plural suffix -ow. is a patronymic surname that came from the Germanic personal name Jocelyn, meaning Goth.

Joslen Early Origins

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The surname Joslen was first found in Lanarkshire but one of the first records of the name was Josceline de Bohon (or Joscelyn fitz Richard de Bohon or Joscelin de Bohun) (c. 1111-1184) who was Bishop of Salisbury. His son, Reginald fitz Jocelin (sometimes Reginald Italus, Richard the Lombard, or Reginald Lombardus) was Bishop of Bath and an Archbishop of Canterbury-elect. Jocelin (or Jocelyn) (died 1199) was a twelfth-century Cistercian monk and cleric who became the 4th Abbot of Melrose and later Bishop of Glasgow, Scotland. Another branch was seated at Sempringham in Lincolnshire by grant of William the Conqueror.

Joslen Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Jocelyn, Gocelyn, Josselyn, Josselyne and others.

Joslen Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Joslen research. Another 237 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1174, 1188, 1296, 1490, 1553, 1616, 1683, 1641, 1683, 1616, 1683, 1641, 1683, 1638, 1675, 1688, 1756, 1739, 1743 and 1797 are included under the topic Early Joslen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Joslen Early Notables (pre 1700)

Notable amongst the family at this time was John Josselyn or Jastleyn (c.1490-1553), an English politician; Ralph Josselin (1616-1683) English vicar of Earls Colne in Essex from 1641 until his death in 1683; Ralph Josselin (1616-1683), English vicar of Earls Colne in...

Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Joslen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Joslen In Ireland

Some of the Joslen family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

Investigation of immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Joslen: Henry Jocelyn settled in New Hampshire in 1630.

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: Faire mon devoir
Motto Translation: To do my duty.

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Citations

^ Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.

Other References

Bede, The Venerable. Historia Ecclesiatica Gentis Anglorum (The Ecclesiastical History Of the English People). Available through Internet Medieval Sourcebook the Fordham University Centre for Medieval Studies. Print.
Hinde, Thomas Ed. The Domesday Book England's Heritage Then and Now. Surrey: Colour Library Books, 1995. Print. (ISBN 1-85833-440-3).
Bullock, L.G. Historical Map of England and Wales. Edinburgh: Bartholomew and Son, 1971. Print.
Bradford, William. History of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647 Edited by Samuel Eliot Morrison 2 Volumes. New York: Russell and Russell, 1968. Print.
Egle, William Henry. Pennsylvania Genealogies Scotch-Irish and German. Harrisburg: L.S. Hart, 1886. Print.
Marcharn, Frederick George. A Constitutional History of Modern England 1485 to the Present. London: Harper and Brothers, 1960. Print.
Chadwick, Nora Kershaw and J.X.W.P Corcoran. The Celts. London: Penguin, 1790. Print. (ISBN 0140212116).
Le Patourel, John. The Norman Empire. New York: Oxford University Press, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-19-822525-3).
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds. Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8).
Dunkling, Leslie. Dictionary of Surnames. Toronto: Collins, 1998. Print. (ISBN 0004720598).
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The Joslen Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Joslen Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 10 April 2015 at 08:30.