Jefferson Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Jefferson last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Jefferson last name
Meaning of the Jefferson last name: son of Jeffrey. Jefferson is an English patronymic surname meaning "son of Jeffrey", from the medieval first name Geoffrey. It began in northern England, in Cumberland and Yorkshire. Thomas Jefferson, the third American president, made the last name famous, and it is now very common among African American families.
Arms associated with the Jefferson name
Coats of arms associated with the Jefferson last name belong to the English heraldic tradition, each with its own blazon.
Get your full Jefferson family history
This is only a glimpse of the Jefferson story. The full Jefferson history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Jefferson coat of arms. Get the full Jefferson report.
Jefferson name FAQ
What does the Jefferson name mean?
Son of Jeffrey. Common variants include Jeffers, Jeffreys, Jeffries.
Where does the Jefferson surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Jefferson coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Jefferson coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).