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

Josselyn, 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 Josselyn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Josselyn in America

Josselyn is the 36286th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Josselyn surname appeared 617 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Josselyn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Josselyn 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 Josselyn

The surname Josselyn has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French personal name "Joscelyn" or "Goscelin," which in turn came from the Germanic name "Gaudishalm," meaning "divine helmet" or "protection."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Goscelinus." This reference suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the surname took on various spellings, including "Joscelin," "Joscelyne," and "Joscellin." These variations likely reflected regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling practices during that time.

The Josselyn family is known to have originated in Hertfordshire and Essex, with some branches also found in Kent and Sussex. Several place names, such as Joscelyne's Manor in Essex and Josselyn's Farm in Hertfordshire, bear the family name, indicating their presence and influence in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Josselyn include John Josselyn (1598-1675), an English traveler and writer who documented his observations of New England in the 17th century. His works, "New England's Rarities Discovered" and "An Account of Two Voyages to New England," provide valuable insights into the early colonial period.

Another prominent figure was Sir Ralph Josselyn (1508-1573), a English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament and held the prestigious position of Governor of Jersey during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the realm of literature, the name is associated with Constantia Josselyn (1842-1911), an American writer and educator who published several books, including "The Sacrifice of a Stubborn Heart" and "Driftwood: A Novel."

The Josselyn surname also has connections to the world of horticulture through Thomas Josselyn (1624-1675), an English botanist and author who wrote "New England's Rarities Discovered," a seminal work on the flora and fauna of the New England region.

Finally, Sir Nathaniel Josselyn (1628-1683) was an English military officer and Member of Parliament during the reign of Charles II, known for his involvement in the suppression of the Monmouth Rebellion in 1685.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Josselyn

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

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 Josselyn 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 Josselyn 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 Josselyn was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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