Jowit History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

The ancestors of the Jowit family migrated to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The surname Jowit 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 Jowit family

The surname Jowit 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.

Important Dates for the Jowit family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jowit research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1643, 1720, 1693, 1694 and 1701 are included under the topic Early Jowit History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jowit Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Jowit include Jowett, Jowet, Jowit, Jowitt, Jewett, Jewet, Juet, Jouet, Juett and many more.

Early Notables of the Jowit family (pre 1700)

Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Jowit Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Jowit family

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Jowits to arrive on North American shores: 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.