Find out how popular the last name Jessup is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Jessup.

Jessup, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Jessup surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jessup in America

Jessup is the 5037th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jessup surname appeared 6,964 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Jessup.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jessup to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Jessup

The surname Jessup is of English origin, with roots that can be traced back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from a place called Jessop or Jessup, likely in the county of Derbyshire. The name is thought to have evolved from the Old English words "gesc" meaning a small stream or brook, and "hop" meaning a small valley or hollow, suggesting that the original bearers of this name hailed from a settlement near a brook or stream in a small valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jessup can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry in the Domesday Book refers to a person named "Radulfus de Jessope" or Ralph of Jessop.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with spellings such as "Jessoppe," "Jessop," and "Jessup." During this period, a notable figure bearing this name was Sir William Jessup (c. 1245-1305), a knight who participated in the Crusades and fought alongside King Edward I in the conquest of Wales.

Another prominent individual with the surname Jessup was John Jessup (c. 1560-1623), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1609 to 1610. He was also the author of several theological works and was known for his expertise in biblical languages.

In the 17th century, the name Jessup gained further recognition with the exploits of Edward Jessup (1617-1662), an English soldier and adventurer who played a significant role in the English Civil War. He fought for the Parliamentarian forces and was appointed as the Governor of Stafford after the Royalists were defeated.

During the colonial era, the Jessup surname was carried to the American colonies by several early settlers, including Thomas Jessup, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1635, and Edward Jessup, who settled in Long Island, New York, in the late 17th century. These early colonists and their descendants contributed to the spread and establishment of the Jessup name in the New World.

Another noteworthy figure was William Jessup (1794-1868), an American missionary and educator who founded the Jessup Female Seminary in Westchester County, New York, in 1839. This institution later became known as the Jessup College for Women and played a significant role in promoting women's education.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jessup

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Jessup.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Jessup was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Jessup has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Jessup was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Jessup, please contact us.

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