The name Jowet was brought to
England in the wave of migration that followed the
Norman Conquest of 1066. Jowet is based on the ancient
personal name Julien. The surname of Jowett was a baptismal name which means
Julien. Baptismal names began to appear as surnames relatively late in the growth of the naming tradition. This is a little surprising, given the popularity of biblical figures in the Christian countries of Europe. Nevertheless, surnames derived from baptismal names grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, and have become one of the foremost sources for surnames.
Early Origins of the Jowet family
The surname Jowet was first found in
Cheshire where they held a
family seat as Lords of the manor of Bredbury from early times. The lands were granted by William the Conqueror to a Norman noble by the name Jouet, from the Isle of Rhe in France. By the twelfth century they had branched to Ashton-under-Lyme in that same shire.
Early History of the Jowet family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jowet research.
Another 235 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1643, 1720, 1693, 1694 and 1701 are included under the topic Early Jowet History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Jowet Spelling Variations
Before the last few
hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason,
spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Jowet were recorded, including Jowett, Jowet, Jowit, Jowitt, Jewett, Jewet, Juet, Jouet, Juett and many more.
Early Notables of the Jowet family (pre 1700)
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Jowet Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Jowet family to the New World and Oceana
The unstable environment in
England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like
Ireland,
Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Jowet arrived in North America very early: Joseph and Maximilian Jewett who settled in Massachusetts in 1630; Elizabeth Jewett settled in
Norfolk, Virginia in 1823; Benjamin Jewett settled in Portland Me. in 1822.
The Jowet 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: Animo et prudentia
Motto Translation: By courage and prudence.