Surnames as First Names: English Surnames — I and J

Imber

We’ve reached the letters I and J in the series of little used surnames of English, Anglo-French and Old Norse origin.

• Iden — from Iden, Sussex. Old English *ig “yew” + denn “woodland pasture.”
• Imber — from Imber, Wiltshire, a village famously taken over by the British Army during the 2nd World War. In Latin imber means “heavy rain.”
• Ingall, Ingle, Ingles — from the Old Norse personal name Ingialdr “Ing’s tribute”, or its Anglo-Norse cognate Ingald.
• Ingham — from places called Ingham. Old English personal name Inga or the ancient Germanic tribal name Inguione  + hām “homestead,” “village,” “estate,” “manor.”
• Ingleby — from one of the places called Ingleby. Old Norse Englar “English” + bý “farmstead,” “village” and “settlement.”
• Innes — from one of the places called Ince. From Old Welsh *inis “island.”
• Ireton, Irton — from Ireton, Derbyshire or Irton, Cumbria. ON: Írar “Irishmen” + tūn “enclosure,” “farmstead,” “estate,” “manor,” “village.”
• Isard — from the medieval name Isolda.
• Isham — from Isham, Northamptonshire. Celtic River name Ise (meaning “water”) + OE hām “homestead,” “village,” “estate,” “manor,” or hamm “land hemmed in by water/marsh,” “river-meadow.” Did manage to creep into the top 1000 a little in the late nineteenth century.
• Jackman — servant of Jack.
• Jagger — a Yorkshire surname from the dialectic word jagger “pedlar.” Only just qualifies, as has started to see use in the last few years, being ranked 762nd in the US in 2010.
• Janson — son of Jan, a form of John.
• Jardine — Old French jardin “garden”; used originally of someone who lived near — or worked in — a garden.
• Jebb — from Jepp — a medieval pet form of Geoffrey.
• Jebordy — from Middle English jupardi “risk,” “danger,” “jeopardy.”
• Jekyll — from the Breton Judicael “lord of the grove” or “generous lord.” Traditionally pronounced “JEE-kil” it is now mostly pronounced “JEH-kil.” Is it too tarnished by Doctor Jekyll? And Gertrude?
• Jenner — Old French engigneor “engineer,” “maker of military machines.”
• Jerdan, Jerden, Jerdon — essentially Scottish variants of JARDINE.
• Jernegan — from the Breton name Gernagon “iron-famous.”
• Jessop — from Joseph, reflecting medieval pronounciation (comparable to the Italian Guiseppe).
• Jex — a form of Jacks — “of Jack,” as well as from the Middle English geke “fool” (this is probably the same origin of modern geek!).
• Jinks — from Jenkin, itself a medieval pet-form of John.
• Jobar — from Middle English jube “woollen garment” or jobbe “large vessel,” referring to someone who made them.
• Jolivet — pet-form of Old French jolif “jolly,” “lively.”
• Jory — pet form of Jore, a medieval northern French form of George.
• Judd — a medieval pet-form of Jordan. Almost didn’t make it, as it saw a bit of use in the 70s — just not very much.
• Junifer — from Guinevere.
• Juster — from Old French justeor “jouster.”
• Justham — a form of Judson “son of JUDD.”

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