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.
Early History of the Jowit family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jowit research.
Another 235 words (17 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 to the New World and Oceana
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.
The Jowit 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.