Surname jowell - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'J'
jowell: What does the surname jowell mean?
The last name Jowell is of uncertain origin and its definitive meaning remains vague. It is believed to be derived from the English name Joel, which has Hebrew roots. Joel in Hebrew signifies "Jehovah is God" or "Yahweh is God." Nevertheless, the surname Jowell has been modified over generations and possibly has picked up unique meanings in different cultures and languages. Therefore, it is challenging to ascribe a specific meaning to the surname. Typical with most surnames, Jowell was likely utilized as an identifier in ancient times, possibly referring to an individual’s profession, location, or significant personal attribute.
Order DNA origin analysisjowell: Where does the name jowell come from?
The surname Jowell is considered to be of English origin, derived from the personal name Joel. This personal name itself was introduced by the Norman Conquerors after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It gained popularity during the Middle Ages, but was never too common in the British Isles.
Over time, surnames often experienced many spelling changes due to the Anglo-Norman tendency of spelling words as they sounded, often leading to many variations of a single name. Therefore, Jowell could have been recorded differently throughout history. Some such spelling variants might include Joell, Joel, Jowle, Jouel, and Juell.
Today, the surname Jowell does not appear to be overly common. An examination of demographic data suggests that it might be found in somewhat higher concentrations in the United Kingdom, in particular in England. However, the presence of this surname globally is relatively sparse. The emergence of people bearing this surname in the public eye, like the late British politician Tessa Jowell, may increase public awareness of it.
Variations of the surname jowell
The surname Jowell is not widely common and it has a few variants or spellings based on cultural and geographical adaptations. Variations may include Jowle, Joule, Jowles, Joul, Joules, and possibly Juell.
It could also have associations with the surname Jewel or Jewell, although these might be a different origin. As surnames often derived from nicknames, occupations, or locations, some variants may emerge depending on local dialects and pronunciations.
Moreover, in historical records, spellings of surnames can significantly vary due to phonetic spelling. Spelling variations of the surname have included Jowle, Jowles, Jowell, Jowells among others.
The surname could also be anglicized or altered when family migrated to different countries, creating further variants like Jowellson, Joelson, or Jowelson.
Considering its potential English origins, the "well" part of the name might relate to a geographical feature. Therefore, similar surnames with the "well" or "welle" ending could potentially be connected to Jowell in some way.
However, as the origin and the meaning of this surname is quite unclear, any connections or derivations could be speculative. It is therefore recommended to conduct comprehensive genealogical research or DNA testing for more accurate and personalized information.
Famous people with the name jowell
- Tessa Jowell: a British Labour Party politician who, among her many achievements, served as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Minister for Women in the Labour government from 2001 to 2007.
- Linda Jowell: a former Deputy Leader of the Greater London Council and director of the Greater London Retailers Association.
- Bill Jowell: a former American screenwriter primarily for television, and co-author of the novel The Pack of Alligators with Jack Canfield.
- John Jowell: a British Conservative party politician, who served as Member of Parliament for a brief period of six months in the late 1980s.
- Robert Jowell: an American producer and actor best known for his work in films such as The Godfather Part II, Goodfellas, and The Fly.
- Richard Jowell: a British composer and arranger for theatre, film, television and radio.
- Cindy Jowell: an American ceramic artist who has exhibited at numerous galleries, museums and sculpture parks throughout the United States.
- Craig Jowell: a British aviation enthusiast and historian, who has written extensively on British commercial aviation since World War I.
- Stephen Jowell: an English cricketer who played for Sussex, Leicestershire, Worcestershire and East Lancashire.
- John Henry Jowell: an American football coach who served as the head coach for the Washburn Ichabods football program from 1903 to 1905.