Surname Jowsay - Meaning and Origin
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Jowsay: What does the surname Jowsay mean?
The last name Jowsay is believed to be of English origin. It may have evolved from "Jowsey," which was derived from "Jonathan," a Hebrew name meaning "He will be given." The Jowsay spelling found its way from England to Canada in its early days, and is still found in Nova Scotia.
The surname was most likely a nickname given to someone who was either generous or blessed maybe due to the Hebrew meaning. The name can also be found spelled as Jowsey or Jowseye and variants such as Gousay, Gowse, or Gowsy.
The Jowsay surname is relatively rare. It is found mostly in English-speaking countries such as the United States and Canada. Records document a few Jowsay families migrating to the United States in the 1600s, so the surname is likely to have been around for centuries.
The Jowsay surname is a reminder of the resilience of the English people, whose legacy has been passed down over the ages from one generation to the next. Today, it stands as a reminder of strong family ties, loyalty, and faith in God.
Order DNA origin analysisJowsay: Where does the name Jowsay come from?
The last name Jowsay is most commonly found within Germanic and Slavic cultures. This name is thought to come from an old European tribal or clan name. In Germany, Jowsay appears to originate from the southern region of Baden-Württemberg. It is also found in small numbers in Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
In Slavic nations such as Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, the last name Jowsay appears more frequently. Here, the name may have come from an ancient tribe living around the Don River, to which the people of these Slavic countries are descended. It is also thought that the name may have originated in parts of Ukraine and Belarus, due to the presence of the Old Believers who spread from these areas into Russia.
The most dense concentration of Jowsays appears to be in the United States, where the name is more commonly found amongst those of Eastern European descent. In most American states, Jowsay is a fairly uncommon name, though it ranks amongst the top 100 most frequent surnames in New Jersey.
In general, the last name Jowsay appears to be a rare name globally. Thus, while the name is certainly more prevalent in some parts of the world than others, those with the last name Jowsay can be found in dozens of countries.
Variations of the surname Jowsay
The surname Jowsay is a variant of the English given name Joice or Joyce. It can also be spelled as Jousey, Jowsey, Jowcy, Jowcey, Joucy or Joucey.
The origins of the surname Jowsay can be traced to the Old French given name Josse, which is the diminutive of the name Jordan. The name Jordan, in turn, is derived from the Hebrew name Yarden, meaning “to descend”, while Josse evolved into the Middle English Joice or Joyce. This eventually became Jowsay in some cases.
There are several other variant spellings and surnames that are believed to be derived from the same origin as the name Jowsay. These include Jouce, Jowce, Jowse, Jowsy, Jouse, Juse, Jusey and Jowcey.
In addition, some people with the surname Jowsay may also be related to the Jouces family, which is derived from the Middle English given name Jofes or Joffes. The Jouces family originated in Wiltshire, England and is believed to be descended from a line of Norman lords.
Variations of the name Jowsay can also be found in Scotland, Ireland and Wales, as well as other parts of the world. In Scotland, the Jowsay surname is sometimes seen as Jowsey or Jousay. In Ireland, the surname is spelled as Jowcy or Jowcey, while the Welsh variant is Jowce.
Overall, the name Jowsay is believed to be descended from Norman ancestry, with many variations, spellings and surnames originating from the same source.
Famous people with the name Jowsay
- Frank Jowsay: an American football player who played in the NFL.
- Geno Jowsay: an international football player currently playing for the Egyptian national team.
- Joe Jowsay: an Irish actor best known for his roles in films such as My Left Foot and In the Name of the Father.
- Joe Jowsay: American singer and songwriter popular for his solo career and hits such as “A Little Bit Closer”.
- Ajay Jowsay: an Indian Bollywood actor who appeared in a variety of films throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.
- Mike Jowsay: a former professional tennis player from Canada, actively competing between 1973 and 1984.
- David Jowsay: a Spanish football player who had over 400 appearances in the Spanish top flight clubs.
- Joe Jowsay: a former NBA player who had short stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors.
- Joe Jowsay: the lead vocalist and guitarist of the English alternative rock band Coldplay.
- Morgan Jowsay: Canadian country musician who released several successful records in the 1970s.