Contents [hide]

Jourdan History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Jourdan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Ireland
Scotland

Early Origins of the Jourdan family

The surname Jourdan was first found in Suffolk, where the name first appeared in the early 12th century. Like many surnames, the name Jourdan was taken from a common personal name at the time.

The personal name Jordan (and the female equivalent, Jordana) comes from the River Jordan; some knights and soldiers returning from the Crusades brought some of the water of the River Jordan back with them to baptize their children with and therefore gave the name to those children. 1 2 3

We should point out at this time that another reputable source disagrees with this etymology. "Not, as has been fancifully conjectured, from the river Jordan, in Crusading times, but from Jourdain, an early Norman baptismal name, probably corrupted from the Latin Hodiernus, which was a not uncommon personal name of the same period. It may be remarked that the names Jourdain and Hodierna, the feminine form, occur almost contemporaneously in the pedigree of Sackville." 4

"Jordan is a name established in many other parts of England besides the North and East Ridings, for instance, in Bucks, Derbyshire, Devonshire, Essex, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, etc. In the 13th century it was common as Jordan and Jurdan in Oxfordshire, and was also represented in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, etc. (H. R.). The Jordans of Enstone, Oxfordshire, have been resident in that parish since the 14th century (Jordan's "Enstone"). This surname is a form of Jourdain, an early Norman baptismal name." 5

In Scotland, "Jordan the Fleming was chancellor to David I in 1142-43, in a charter of Adam son of Swain, c. 1136-53. Jordan de Wodford, charter witness in Angus, c. 1170. Jordanus Brae granted a piece of land to the church of S. Mary and S. Kentigern of Lanark, c. 1214. Magister William Jordanus witnessed confirmation charter by Gilbert, bishop of Aberdeen between 1228-39." 6

Early History of the Jourdan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jourdan research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1182, 1202, 1327, 1561, 1569, 1603, 1609, 1610, 1611, 1612, 1613, 1619, 1623, 1624, 1625, 1627, 1628, 1632, 1640, 1650, 1685, 1687, 1691, 1698, 1707, 1770 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Jourdan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jourdan Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Jourdan family name include Jordan, Jordain, Jorden, Jordana, Jordens, Jordin, Jourdain, Jourdan and many more.

Early Notables of the Jourdan family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Joseph Jordan (1603-1685), vice-admiral, probably related to John Jourdain [q. v.], president of the English factories in the East Indies, slain there in June 1619. 7 Thomas Jordan (ca.1612-1685), was an English poet, playwright and actor, starting as a boy actor in the King's Revels Company. 7 William Jordan (fl. 1611), Cornish dramatist, lived at Helston in Cornwall, and is supposed to have been the author of the mystery or sacred drama 'Gwreans an Bys, the Creation of the World.' 7 Edward Jorden (1569-1632), was an English physician and chemist, born in 1569 at High...
Another 120 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Jourdan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jourdan World Ranking

In the United States, the name Jourdan is the 10,750^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 8 However, in France, the name Jourdan is ranked the 301^st most popular surname with an estimated 13,304 people with that name. 9

Migration of the Jourdan family to Ireland

Some of the Jourdan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 85 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jourdan migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Jourdan family to immigrate North America:

Jourdan Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Silvanus Jourdan, who landed in Bermuda in 1609-1610 10
Silvester Jourdan, who arrived in Virginia in 1609-1610 10
Samuel Jourdan, who arrived in Virginia in 1610 10
Cicely Jourdan, who arrived in Virginia in 1611 10
William Jourdan, who arrived in New England in 1651-1652 10

Jourdan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Solomon Jourdan, who landed in Virginia in 1700 10
Salomen Jourdan, who landed in Virginia in 1700 10
Jean Jourdan, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 10
Christopher Jourdan, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1773 10

Jourdan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Alic Jourdan, aged 37, who landed in Maryland in 1812 10
Ellera Jourdan, who landed in Texas in 1829 10
Antonio Alejandro Jourdan, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1841 10

Jourdan migration to Australia +

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

Jourdan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Jourdan a stowaway, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "South Australian" in 1837 11

Contemporary Notables of the name Jourdan (post 1700) +

David Walter Jourdan (b. 1954), American author, co-founder and president of Nauticos, a deep ocean exploration company which has specialized on the quest for Amelia Earhart’s lost Lockheed Electra airplane
Carolyn Jourdan, American author, known for her memoirs and biographies that have made The Wall Street Journal list of top ten bestselling books
Theodore Charles Jourdan (1895-1961), American Major League Baseball first baseman with the Chicago White Sox (1916-1920)
Ronald Lee Jourdan (1947-2014), American college and Olympic track and field athlete
Jean-Baptiste Jourdan (1762-1833), Marshal of France; he fought in the American Revolution and the French Revolutionary wars
Joseph W. Jourdan, American politician, Member of California State Assembly 11th District, 1875-77 12
John Jourdan Jr., American politician, Postmaster at Lexington, Kentucky, 1802-13 12
Alexander Jourdan, American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in San Juan, 1864-67 12
Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, French Marshall of the Empire during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 13
Georges Jourdan (b. 1872), French individual épée fencer at the 1900 Summer Olympics
... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Jourdan 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: Percussa Resurgo
Motto Translation: Struck down, I rise again

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
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)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The SOUTH AUSTRALIAN 1837-1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1837SouthAustralian.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, March 13) Jean-Baptiste Jourdan. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html