Show ContentsJurden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Jurden family

The surname Jurden was first found in Suffolk, where the name first appeared in the early 12th century. Like many surnames, the name Jurden was taken from a common personal name at the time.

The personal name Jordan (and the female equivalent, Jordana) comes from the River Jordan; some knights and soldiers returning from the Crusades brought some of the water of the River Jordan back with them to baptize their children with and therefore gave the name to those children. 1 2 3

We should point out at this time that another reputable source disagrees with this etymology. "Not, as has been fancifully conjectured, from the river Jordan, in Crusading times, but from Jourdain, an early Norman baptismal name, probably corrupted from the Latin Hodiernus, which was a not uncommon personal name of the same period. It may be remarked that the names Jourdain and Hodierna, the feminine form, occur almost contemporaneously in the pedigree of Sackville." 4

"Jordan is a name established in many other parts of England besides the North and East Ridings, for instance, in Bucks, Derbyshire, Devonshire, Essex, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, etc. In the 13th century it was common as Jordan and Jurdan in Oxfordshire, and was also represented in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, etc. (H. R.). The Jordans of Enstone, Oxfordshire, have been resident in that parish since the 14th century (Jordan's "Enstone"). This surname is a form of Jourdain, an early Norman baptismal name." 5

In Scotland, "Jordan the Fleming was chancellor to David I in 1142-43, in a charter of Adam son of Swain, c. 1136-53. Jordan de Wodford, charter witness in Angus, c. 1170. Jordanus Brae granted a piece of land to the church of S. Mary and S. Kentigern of Lanark, c. 1214. Magister William Jordanus witnessed confirmation charter by Gilbert, bishop of Aberdeen between 1228-39." 6

Early History of the Jurden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jurden research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1182, 1202, 1327, 1561, 1569, 1603, 1609, 1610, 1611, 1612, 1613, 1619, 1623, 1624, 1625, 1627, 1628, 1632, 1640, 1650, 1685, 1687, 1691, 1698, 1707, 1770 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Jurden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jurden Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Jordan, Jordain, Jorden, Jordana, Jordens, Jordin, Jourdain, Jourdan and many more.

Early Notables of the Jurden family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Joseph Jordan (1603-1685), vice-admiral, probably related to John Jourdain [q. v.], president of the English factories in the East Indies, slain there in June 1619. 7 Thomas Jordan (ca.1612-1685), was an English poet, playwright and actor, starting as a boy actor in the King's Revels Company. 7 William Jordan (fl. 1611), Cornish dramatist, lived at Helston in Cornwall, and is supposed to have been the author of the mystery or sacred drama 'Gwreans an Bys, the Creation of the World.' 7 Edward Jorden (1569-1632), was an English physician and chemist, born in 1569 at High...
Another 120 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Jurden Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Jurden family to Ireland

Some of the Jurden family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 85 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Jurden migration to the United States +

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Jurden or a variant listed above:

Jurden Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Stephen Jurden, who landed in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Mary & John" 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Jurden (post 1700) +

  • Samuel W. Jurden, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1896 9
  • Jan R. Jurden, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Delaware, 1996 9


The Jurden 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: Percussa Resurgo
Motto Translation: Struck down, I rise again


  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  5. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  6. 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)
  7. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  8. 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)
  9. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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