Contents [hide]

Jeffrey History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Jeffrey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Wales

Early Origins of the Jeffrey family

The surname Jeffrey was first found in Aberdeen where "Jaffray was an old family name." Early feudal rolls provided the king of the time a method of cataloguing holdings for taxation, but today they provide a glimpse into the wide surname spellings in use at that time. "Symon le fiz Geffrai and Piers le fiz Geffray, burgesses of Peebles, rendered homage [to King Edward I of England] in 1296. Payment was made to David Geoffrey, Scottish merchant, for injuries and trespasses committed on him in 1474, John Joffray appears as witness, 1511, and a later John Jofra was witness in Brechin in 1552." 1

Early History of the Jeffrey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jeffrey research. Another 211 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1536, 1583, 1587, 1596, 1605, 1613, 1614, 1618, 1629, 1632, 1633, 1634, 1635, 1636, 1642, 1643, 1644, 1645, 1652, 1653, 1673, 1687, 1718 and 1753 are included under the topic Early Jeffrey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jeffrey Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Jaffray, Jaffrey, Jafery and others.

Early Notables of the Jeffrey family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Alexander Jaffray (1614-1673), Director of the Chancellary of Scotland and a Quaker, son of Alexander Jaffray (d. 10 Jan. 1645), Provost of Aberdeen, by his wife Magdalen Erskine of Pittodrie, born at Aberdeen in July 1614. "Shortly after his marriage his father sent him to Edinburgh, where he stayed some time in the house of his relative Robert Burnet, father of Gilbert Burnet [q. v.] His father sent him in 1632 and 1633 to London, and in 1634 and 1635 to France. At Whitsuntide 1636 he set up housekeeping in Aberdeen, his wife...
Another 142 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Jeffrey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jeffrey World Ranking

In the United States, the name Jeffrey is the 3,006^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 2 However, in Australia, the name Jeffrey is ranked the 674^th most popular surname with an estimated 5,814 people with that name. 3 And in the United Kingdom, the name Jeffrey is the 903^rd popular surname with an estimated 7,594 people with that name. 4

Jeffrey migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Jeffrey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Jeffrey, who arrived in Weymouth, Massachusetts in 1631 5
Thomas Jeffrey, who arrived in Maryland in 1680 5

Jeffrey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Henry Jeffrey, aged 26, who arrived in Texas in 1829 5
James K Jeffrey, who arrived in New York in 1833 5
Mr. ThomasJeffrey, (b. 1804), aged 32, Cornish miner departing from Falmouth aboard the "Royal Adelaide" arriving in the United States on 11th May 1836 6
Mr. Robert Jeffrey, (b. 1818), aged 19, Cornish miner departing from Falmouth aboard the ship"Royal Adelaide" arriving in the United States on 8th May 1837 6
Mr. E. Jeffrey, (b. 1827), aged 21, Cornish miner departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Mountaineer" arriving in the United states on 29th May 1848 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Jeffrey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. James Jeffrey, (b. 1884), aged 19, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "Aurania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 8th October 1903 en route to Hancock, Michigan, USA 7
Mrs. Clara Jeffrey, (b. 1870), aged 33, Cornish settler from Chacewater, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Campania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 15th August 1903 en route to Butte, Montana, USA 7
Mr. John J. Jeffrey, (b. 1884), aged 21, Cornish miner from Pendeen, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Lucania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 1st September 1905 en route to Houghton, Michigan, USA 7
Mr. Arthur Jeffrey, (b. 1881), aged 24, Cornish shipwright travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Cleveland, Ohio, USA 7
John Jeffrey, who landed in Alabama in 1925 5

Jeffrey migration to Australia +

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

Jeffrey Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Robert Jeffrey, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for life, transported aboard the "England"on 28th April 1826, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
George Jeffrey, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Theresa" in 1847 9
James Jeffrey, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Theresa" in 1847 9
Ann Jeffrey, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Pakenham" in 1849 10
Rebecca Jeffrey, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Pakenham" in 1849 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Jeffrey Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century

Mr. Charles Phil Jeffrey, (b. 1894), aged 6, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Oruba" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 14th October 1900 11
Miss Clara Jeffrey, (b. 1892), aged 8, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Oruba" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 14th October 1900 11
Mr. Harold Jeffrey, (b. 1900), aged Infant, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Oruba" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 14th October 1900 11
Mrs. Harriett Jeffrey, (b. 1868), aged 32, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Oruba" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 14th October 1900 11
Mr. John Jeffrey, (b. 1867), aged 33, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Oruba" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 14th October 1900 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Jeffrey migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Jeffrey Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Henry Jeffrey, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 30th September 1853 12
Mr. Josiah Jeffrey, British settler travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Baltasara" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 20th January 1854 12
Mr. Phillip Jeffrey, British settler travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Baltasara" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 20th January 1854 12
Mr. John Jeffrey, British settler travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Baltasara" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 20th January 1854 12
Mr. Henry Jeffrey, British settler travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Baltasara" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 20th January 1854 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Jeffrey (post 1700) +

Joseph Noyes Jeffrey Jr. (1940-2024), better known as J. J. Jeffrey, American radio executive and a prominent Top 40 disc jockey
Hester C. Jeffrey (1842-1934), née Whitehurst, also known as Jeffreys or Jeffries, or Mrs. R. Jerome Jeffrey, an American activist, suffragist, and community organizer in Rochester, New York, and New York City
Paul Jeffrey (1933-2015), American jazz tenor saxophonist, arranger, and educator., best known for performing with Thelonious Monk (1970-1975)
Jared Jeffrey (b. 1990), American soccer player
Mildred McWilliams "Millie" Jeffrey (1910-2004), American political and social activist during the labor reforms and civil rights movements, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Arthur F. Jeffrey, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Army Air Forces, during World War II, credited with 14 aerial victories
Mildred Jeffrey (1910-2004), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Michigan Democratic State Central Committee, 1957-61; Member of Democratic National Committee from Michigan, 1961-69 13
James Franklin Jeffrey (b. 1946), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Albania, 2002-04; Turkey, 2008-10; Iraq, 2010- 13
Harry Palmer Jeffrey (1901-1997), American Republican politician, U.S. Representative from Ohio 3rd District, 1943-45 13
George Jeffrey, American politician, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, 1929-33 13
... (Another 14 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Jeffrey family +

Empress of Ireland

Miss Mary Ann Jeffrey (1897-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Calgary, Alberta, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 14

Ibrox disaster

John Jeffrey (1955-1971), Scottish football supporter, from Glasgow who was at the Ibrox disaster on 2nd January 1971 when a human crush among the crowd killed 66 and injured 200 people he died of his injuries 15

The Jeffrey 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: Post nubillia phoebus
Motto Translation: After the clouds sunshine.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/england
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) THERESA 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Theresa.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The PAKENHAM 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Pakenham.htm
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_queensland.pdf
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Bradford City Football Club In memory (retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://www.bradfordcityafc.com/club/in-memoriam/