Joyce History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Joyce is derived from the personal names Josse or Goce. The name Joyce is derived from the Latin word “gaudere” and is cognate in origin with the words joy and joyous. The personal names Josse and Goce were made popular by St. Josse the Hermit, who refused the sovereignty of Brittany. Joyce was used primarily as a female personal name, although some of the earlier instances were masculine. The Gaelic form of the surname Joyce is Seoigh.

Early Origins of the Joyce family

The surname Joyce was first found in Glamorganshire (Welsh: Sir Forgannwg), a region of South Wales, anciently part of the Welsh kingdom of Glywysing.

However, the Welsh origin is very much overshadowed by the Irish predominance of the name in later years. In Ireland, the family was “of Welsh origin which became completely hibernicized; their territory was called Joyce’s country. They also became one of the ‘Tribes Of Galway’ ” [1]

Perhaps an exploration of one of the earliest entries for the name will assist. Thomas Jorz or Joyce, also called Thomas the Englishman (d. 1310), was an English “cardinal, is said to have been born of a good family in London, although he was perhaps, as has been sometimes suggested, a Welshman by descent. He was one of six brothers, who all entered the Dominican order. Two of them, Walter and Roland, were successively Archbishops of Armagh [Ireland]. ” [2]

Walter Jorz or Jorse (fl. 1306), “Archbishop of Armagh, was a Dominican of Oxford. Like Thomas Jorz [q. v.], his brother, he is doubtfully said to have been a disciple of Albertus Magnus, and a fellow-student with Thomas Aquinas.” [2]

Early History of the Joyce family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Joyce research.

Joyce Spelling Variations

Medieval scribes and church officials spelled the names as they sounded, so a name was often spelled many different ways during the lifetime of a single person. The investigation of the origin of the name Joyce revealed many spelling variations including Joyce, Joyes, Joy, Joice and others.

Early Notables of the Joyce family (pre 1700)

Notable amongst the family up to this time was Cornet George Joyce (fl. 1647), an officer in the Parliamentary New Model Army during the English Civil War. He is said to have been originally a tailor in London. He entered the army of the eastern association, appears to have served in Cromwell’s regiment, and was in 1647 a cornet in the horse regiment of Sir Thomas Fairfax.

Joyce World Ranking

In the United States, the name Joyce is the 748^th most popular surname with an estimated 39,792 people with that name. [3] However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Joyce is ranked the 523^rd most popular surname with an estimated 88 people with that name. [4] And in Australia, the name Joyce is the 451^st popular surname with an estimated 8,363 people with that name. [5] New Zealand ranks Joyce as 244^th with 2,437 people. [6] The United Kingdom ranks Joyce as 455^th with 14,319 people. [7]

 Joyce migration to the United States +

During the middle of the 19th century, Irish families often experienced extreme poverty and racial discrimination in their own homeland under English rule. Record numbers died of disease and starvation and many others, deciding against such a fate, boarded ships bound for North America. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Unfortunately, many of those Irish that arrived in Canada or the United States still experienced economic and racial discrimination. Although often maligned, these Irish people were essential to the rapid development of these countries because they provided the cheap labor required for the many canals, roads, railways, and other projects required for strong national infrastructures. Eventually the Irish went on to make contributions in the less backbreaking and more intellectual arenas of commerce, education, and the arts. Research early immigration and passenger lists revealed many early immigrants bearing the name Joyce: 

Joyce Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Jon Joyce, who landed in Virginia in 1621-1629 [8]
• Mr. William Joyce, (b. 1600), aged 21, British servant who arrived in Virginia in 1621 aboard the ship “Abigaile” [9]
• Jonathon Joyce, who settled in Virginia in 1635
• Mr. Henery Joyce, who arrived in Virginia in 1636 aboard the ship “Friendship” [10]
• Robert Joyce, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 [8]

Joyce Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Mats Joyce, aged 18, who arrived in New York, NY in 1803 [8]
• Patrick Joyce, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1811 [8]
• Penny Wright Joyce, aged 52, who landed in Delaware in 1812 [8]
• James Joyce, aged 27, who landed in New York in 1812 [8]
• George Joyce, who landed in Alexandria, Va in 1817 [8]