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Jewell History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Jewell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Jewell

What does the name Jewell mean?

The name Jewell is from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of the Britain and comes from the baptismal name Joel. The surname Jewell referred to the son of Joel which belongs to the category of patronymic surnames. In Old English, patronyms were formed by adding a variety of suffixes to personal names, which changed over time and from place to place. For example, after the Norman Conquest, sunu and sune, which meant son, were the most common patronymic suffixes. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the most common patronymic names included the word filius, which meant son. By the 14th century, the suffix son had replaced these earlier versions. Surnames that were formed with filius or son were more common in the north of England and it was here that the number of individuals without surnames was greatest at this time.

Early Origins of the Jewell family

The surname Jewell was first found in Devon where the Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I. included three listings of the name as both a forename and a surname: Warin filius Juelis, Henry III Edward I; Juel de Stanhuse; and Juel de Buketon, Devon. 1

"Helias and Robert Juels are mentioned in the Norman Exchequer Rolls of 1180-95. Galfrid, William, and Richard Juel or Joel occur in Huntingdonshire, about 1272 in the Hundredorum Rolls. 'This family derived probably from Juel or Judael de Mayennc, Baron of Totness and Barnstaple, temp. William I.: a Breton noble. He held lands from the Earl of Mortaine, besides his own barony; and a portion of the former, as well as a fief created in the Barony of Totness, seems to have passed to the younger branch names Fitz Juel. Warin Fitz Juel, in 1242, held a knight's fee,which had been granted by the Earl of Mortaine at the Conquest.' " 2

The source Calendarium Genealogicum: Henry III-Edward I had two listings: Jordan filius Juel; and Jordan filius Jowell, 25 Edward I (during the 25th year of King Edward I's reign.) 3

Robert le Jewell, Alicia le Jueler were listed in the Subsidy Rolls for London in 1319. 4

John Jowell, was Sheriff of Norwich, Norfolk in 1486. 5

"Jewell was the name of a gentle family of Bowden in the parish of Berry - Narbor or Berryn - Arbor, near Ilfracombe, [Devon], in the 16th and 17th centuries; to this family belonged John Jewell, the noted Bishop of Salisbury, who was born at Berryn - Arbor in 1522 (W. and Pr.). The name is now well represented in the Bideford district, but still occurs in Berry. Narbor. It has also long been a Cornish name." 6

Early History of the Jewell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jewell research. Another 50 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1522, 1535, 1559, 1560 and 1571 are included under the topic Early Jewell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jewell Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Jewell has been spelled many different ways, including Jewell, Jewall, Jule, Joel, Jouel and others.

Early Notables of the Jewell family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

John Jewell (1522-1571), Bishop of Salisbury...

Jewell Ranking

In the United States, the name Jewell is the 1,423^rd most popular surname with an estimated 22,383 people with that name. 7

Jewell migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Jewells to arrive in North America:

Jewell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Jewell, who landed in Virginia in 1634 8
Thomas Jewell, Jr. aged 19, from England who arrived in Virginia aboard the ship "America" arriving in June 1635
Mr. Walter Jewell, aged 19, from England who arrived in Virginia aboard the ship "America" arriving in June 1635 8
Mr. Thomas Jewell, (Jernell), aged 27, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Planter" 9
Robert Jewell, who settled in Virginia in 1637
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Jewell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

E S Jewell, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 8
J D Jewell, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 8
Mr. Jonathan Jewell, (b. 1864), aged 28, Cornish rope maker travelling aboard the ship "Majestic" arriving Ellis Island, New York on 28th January 1892 en route to Havana, Florida, USA 10
Mr. Milfred Jewell, (b. 1890), aged 7, Cornish settler , from Camborne, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving Ellis Island, New York on 30th October 1897 en route to California, USA 10
Miss Minnie Jewell, (b. 1892), aged 5, Cornish settler , from Camborne, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving Ellis Island, New York on 30th October 1897 en route to California, USA 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Jewell Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. William Thomas Jewell, (b. 1881), aged 24, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving Ellis Island, New York on 7th October 1905 en route to Butte, Montana, USA 10
Miss Gertrude Jewell, (b. 1877), aged 28, Cornish housekeeper , from Falmouth, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Caronia" arriving Ellis Island, New York on 7th June 1905 en route to Westerly, Rhode Island, USA 10

Jewell migration to Australia +

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

Jewell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Henry Jewell, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 27th October 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 11
Peter Jewell, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Duke of Bedford" in 1848 12
Thomas Jewell, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Santipore" in 1848 13
William Jewell, aged 41, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Prince Regent" in 1849 14
Grace Jewell, aged 26, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Prince Regent" in 1849 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Jewell 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:

Jewell Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mrs. Grace Jewell, (b. 1835), aged 27, Cornish settler departing on 2nd September 1862 aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 15
Mr. William Hy Jewell, (b. 1835), aged 27, Cornish carpenter departing on 2nd September 1862 aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 15
Mrs. Grace Jewell, (b. 1835), aged 27, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 16
Mr. William Henry Jewell, (b. 1835), aged 27, British carpenter travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 16

Contemporary Notables of the name Jewell (post 1700) +

Buddy Jewell (b. 1961), American country music artist
Isabel Jewell (1907-1972), American actress, best remembered for her role in a 'Tale of Two Cities' (1935)
Wanda Rae Jewell (b. 1954), former American Olympic sports shooter
Rear Admiral Theodore Frelinghuysen Jewell (1844-1932), United States Navy officer
Marshall Jewell (1825-1883), 44th and 46th Governor of Connecticut
Jerry Jewell (b. 1976), American voice actor
James Jewell (1906-1975), American radio actor, producer and director
Collin Fox Jewell (1850-1925), American politician, Prohibition Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York, 1898, 1906, 1918 17
Cheryl J. Jewell, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Georgia, 2008 17
Carl B. Jewell, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Illinois 18th District, 1944 17
... (Another 29 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Jewell family +

HMS Royal Oak

Arthur Jewell (1900-1939), British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 18

RMS Titanic

Mr. Archie Jewell, aged 23, English Lookout from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping on life boat 7 19

St. Francis Dam

Mr. Arthur George Jewell, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928

USS Indianapolis

Floyd Raymond Jewell, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 20

Citations +

Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
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 12th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) DUKE OF BEDFORD 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848DukeofBedford.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SANTIPORE 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Santipore.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) "PRINCE REGENT" 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849PrinceRegent.htm
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.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 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew