The name Jowitt reached
England in the great wave of migration following the
Norman Conquest of 1066. It 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 Jowitt family
The surname Jowitt 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 Jowitt family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jowitt research.
Another 235 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1643, 1720, 1693, 1694 and 1701 are included under the topic Early Jowitt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Jowitt Spelling Variations
The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason,
spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Jowitt has been recorded under many different variations, including Jowett, Jowet, Jowit, Jowitt, Jewett, Jewet, Juet, Jouet, Juett and many more.
Early Notables of the Jowitt family (pre 1700)
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Jowitt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Jowitt family to the New World and Oceana
To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in
England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Jowitts were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America: 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 Jowitt 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.