where does the surname Joyce originate from?

Question

hi i was wondering if there are any other Joyce's and if any oe knows where it came from? thx

Answer 1

Hey Samantha,

Origin: Irish

Spelling variations of this family name include: Joyce, Joyes, Joy, Joice and others.

First found in Glamorganshire where they were seated from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Jonathon Joyce settled in Virginia in 1635; along with Martin, Mary, Robert and Giles; John, David, Patrick, Pierce, Thomas, William Joyce all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.

There are 326 entries in the Family Search Site, you should check.

OMG - there are 3317 entries at Ellis Island site, wow, that is the most ever. Accounts at Family Search and Ellis Island are free, you need one at Ellis Island - but it is easy.

Answer 2

Joyce
This famous and interesting surname has two possible and distinct origins, although both are French. Firstly it may be a patronymic deriving from the Breton personal name "Iodoc", a diminutive of "Juidcaelh", meaning 'lord', and introduced by the Normans into England at the Invasion of 1066. Although the 1086 Domesday Book is silent in regard to the name, both 'Josce' and 'Iocius' are recorded in the 1150 rolls of the city of Lincoln. Secondly the name may be of French locational origins from the village of Josse sur Mer, in Calvados, Normandy, and this latter may account for Sir John de Joce, recorded at the 1308 Dunstable Tournament. In the modern idiom the surname has several spelling variants including Joice, Joisce, Joss, Josse, Joicey, Joysey, Joyce and Jowsey. The surname also became popular in Ireland, where it was first introduced in 1283 by a Welshman, Thomas de Jorse, who married the daughter of O'Brien the Prince of Thomond. Amongst the many famous namebearers were George Joyce (1620 - 1670), a parliamentarian officer who was sent by Oliver Cromwell, although subsequently denied, to seize the 'kings person' (Charles 1st in 1646) from Holmby House, in Northamptonshire. Subsequently Joyce was very active in promoting the King's trial and subsequent execution, and was rewarded with the Governorship of the Isle of Portland in 1650. He later fell out with both Cromwell and Charles 11, being exiled to Rotterdam. James Joyce (1882 - 1944), who wrote "Dubliners", and his better known work, "Ulysses", found world-wide fame. A Coat of Arms granted to a family has the blazon of a silver shield thereon a double headed eagle displayed gules, overall a fesse ermine. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Geoffrey de Jorz, which was dated 1234, in the "Place Names Book of Northumberland", during the reign of King Henry 111,

Answer 3

It's a little known fact that James Joyce, apart from being an insufferably boring author and poet was also quite the player. His original name is lost to history but what is known is that people started calling him James O'Joyce (which later got contracted to James Joyce to save on ink and because alliterative names are shoe ins for bestsellers) due to the amount of women that saw him and exclaimed "Joy of Joys". People naturally assumed his name was Joys, spelt it wrong and things spiralled down from there.

Being such an extraordinary playa, he spawned many thousands of illegitimate children, all happy to be associated with such a respectable literary figure, so they all kept his name. Of course enough kept a genetic predisposition to mass promiscuity as to populate the world with Joyces.

It's true...

Answer 4

Possibly from Ireland.Ed Joyce is presently a member of English Test squad in Australia.He is originally from Ireland.Try to get on to Genealogy site and you will have good fun finding out for yourself.

Answer 5

its an Irish name, James Joyce, famous Irish bloke.
there is a big family called Joyce in Birmingham, but don't count them cos they are scummy ppl who think they are a bit special.

Answer 6

Check out this link to ancestry.com -- there is a definition of the name origin here. HTH
http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/fact.aspx?&fid=10&ln=joyce&fn=

Answer 7

Jocelynn

Answer 8

Its a well known Irish name . West of Ireland notably GALWAY. Happy Christmas.

Answer 9

well, my friend's surname is Joyce and her grandparents are from Ireland