Surname Jeffery - Meaning and Origin

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Taking an iGENEA DNA test added an exciting twist to my exploration of my roots. The results did not just confirm facts, but also introduced surprising insights about my ancestry, such as intriguing details about my surname 'Jeffery.

R. Jeffery

Jeffery: What does the surname Jeffery mean?

The last name Jeffery is of Anglo-Saxon origin. It is derived from the personal name Jeffrey, which itself is derived from a compound of two Germanic first elements: "gaufrid," meaning "territory," and "frid," meaning "peace." Hence, the surname Jeffery could loosely translate as "peace in one's territory" or "peaceful ruler." The name was brought to the British Isles by the Normans during the 11th century and became popular in various forms. Over time, it transitioned into a surname, being passed down through generations. As with many surnames, the spelling has evolved over time, leading to variations such as Jeffery, Jeffrey, Jeffries, and others.

Jeffery: Where does the name Jeffery come from?

The surname Jeffery is of early medieval English origin. It is a patronymic form of the male given name Jeffrey, which is derived from a Germanic personal name. This personal name, composed of the elements 'gauji', meaning region or territory, and 'frid', meaning peace, was introduced to Britain by the Normans in the forms Geoffrey and Jeffrey.

The surname may also be an Anglicized form of a similar sounding Ashkenazic Jewish surname. It is primarily found in English-speaking countries, particularly the United States, England, Canada, and Australia. It gained more widespread usage in the 19th and 20th centuries due to immigration and intermarriage among different ethnic groups. Notable people with this name include British actor Richard Todd (born as Richard Andrew Palethorpe-Todd) and American philosopher and cognitive scientist Daniel C. Dennett (born as Daniel Clement Dennett III).

Nowadays, the name Jeffery is not as common as it was in the past, though it remains widespread in many parts of the English-speaking world. It is also found as a first name, though less commonly than as a surname.

Variations of the surname Jeffery

The surname Jeffery has many variants and spellings that have derived from the same or similar origin, mostly from various forms of the personal name Geoffrey. These include Jeffrey, Jeffries, Jefry, Jefferey, Jefferies, Jeffry, Jephrey, Jephry, and Jefferey.

This surname has Norman origins and arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066 where it commonly converted to a variety of surnames due to differences in dialect and spelling pragmatics. These variations occurred even between father and son as spelling rules and practices were not standardised until much later.

In certain cases, the name can also be spelled as Goeffrey, Gottfried, Gotfrid, Godfrey and Gestefridus, conveying the same meaning but spelling variations due to geographical and language differences.

It's also worth noting that some of these surnames, while spelled similarly, may not share the same origin. For example, the surname Godfrey has Old German roots and may not be directly related to the Norman origin of Jeffery.

In Ireland, variants of Jeffery include Jeffares and its anglicized form Fitzjeffrey. As a surname, it has also been 'Gaelicized' as Séafra and Sheehy in different regions.

It's important to remember that the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent until recent centuries, so many variations may exist for similar-sounding names.

Famous people with the name Jeffery

• Jeffery Dean Morgan: an American actor best known for his roles as John Winchester on Supernatural, Denny Duquette on Grey's Anatomy, and Negan on The Walking Dead.
• Jeffery Jones: an American actor and comedian best known for his roles as Emperor Joseph II in the 1980s Amadeus and Ed Rooney in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
• Jeffery Tambor: an American actor and comedian best known for his roles as the voice of King Cupid in the animated Shrek movies, Hank Kingsley on The Larry Sanders Show, George Bluth Sr. in Arrested Development, and Maura Pfefferman in the Amazon series Transparent.
• Jeffery Webb: a football player, currently playing for Atlanta United 2 in Major League Soccer.
• Jeffery Smith: an American astrophysicist and author who is known for debunking many popular space exploration myths and for his award-winning book, Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
• Jeffery Rush: an American musical artist who has earned multiple Grammy Awards and nominations for his work in numerous genres.
• Jeffery Deaver: an American crime novelist who has written extensively in the suspense and mystery genres.
• Jeffery Sachs: an American economist and author known for his works on improving living conditions in developing countries.
• Jeffery Campbell: an American fashion designer and creator of the shoe brand, consistent with his well-known style for whimsical and eclectic designs.
• Jeffery Archer: an English writer and former politician best known for his many bestselling novels and stories.

Other surnames

JefferJefferiesJefferisJeffersJeffersonJefferys