Jowitt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

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. 1

Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the French "jouet" which means "play, sport, fun." English records we find both Jouet and Jowet." 2

Another source agrees with this direction. The Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists Geoffry Guuit (or Guet), Normandy, 1180-95. "Matilda Joute, Richard Joyet, William Juet, Engl. c. 1272." 3

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 English rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used through Medieval times. Today we typically need to look beyond the spellings of these entries and concentrate on a phonetic appreciation of the names.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had only one listing: William Juet, Huntingdonshire. 4 William Jouet was listed in the Assize Rolls for Staffordshire in 1229 and the next year, Richard Jouot was listed in the same county in the Assize Rolls of 1300. In Kent, Goger Guet was found in the Assize Rolls for 1317 and later, Robert Jowet was found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 1

Early History of the Jowitt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jowitt research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1451, 1452, 1591, 1592, 1613, 1614, 1631, 1639, 1641, 1643, 1675, 1693, 1694, 1701 and 1720 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

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Nehemiah Jewett (1643-1720), an American colonial politician, Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1693-1694) and in 1701; during his tenure, he was responsible for compensating those damaged by the Salem witch trials.Randal or Randolph Jewett (d. 1675), was an organist and composer, is said to have received the (honorary?) degree of Mus. Bac. at Trinity College, Dublin, and to have studied music under Orlando Gibbons. Jewett was organist of the cathedrals of...
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Jowitt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jowitt migration to Australia +

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

Jowitt Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Samuel Jowitt, English convict who was convicted in Woolwich, London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Aurora" on 18th June 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5
Mr. James Jowitt, English convict who was convicted in Leeds, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 27th May 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Jowitt (post 1700) +

Robert Jowitt Whitwell B.Litt. (1859-1928), British medievalist

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.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/aurora
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 18th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone