JOLLY
In England the surname Jolly is of Anglo‑Saxon provenance, deriving from the Middle English word joli which means "joyful" or "merry". It was originally employed as a nickname for a person of cheerful disposition and subsequently became a hereditary family name.
The earliest surviving references to the name are found in medieval documents. A 1275 record from Wiltshire mentions John le Goly, while a 1379 entry in Yorkshire records Henricus Joly. Further church registers disclose the christening of Thomas Jolly on 10 March 1595 in St. Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey, and that of Barbara Jolly on 26 November 1637 in St. Andrew's, Holborn. The first distinct spelling, that of John Jolif, appears in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273 during the reign of King Edward the First.
In heraldic tradition the Jolly family is associated with a silver shield bearing a red mullet set between three black pheons. The coat of arms is recorded in several contemporary registers and has endured as a symbol of the family through the centuries.
The etymological roots of the surname can be traced beyond England. In Old French the term joli carried the same festive sense and was adopted into English following the Norman Conquest of 1066. Some scholars observe that the word may ultimately be linked to Old Norse jol, the mid-winter festival that later became incorporated into Christian celebrations of the birth of Christ. In French use, the name is occasionally linked to the personal name Jolli, itself derived from the Norse Jolgeirr (combining jol or jul with geirr meaning spear), thus giving the alternative sense "spear of Jul".
Throughout the ages the spelling of the surname has varied. Documented variants include Jolley, Jollys, Jollye, Joly, Jolliffe, Jollif, Jollay, Joll, Jolleye and Jollin. These alterations reflect regional pronunciation, transliteration errors and personal preference. The frequency of each variant differs by locality, with the forms Jolly and Jolley predominating in England.
In modern times the surname is common in a number of countries owing to emigration. In England it is most frequently found in the counties of Suffolk and Essex. In the United States it has significant concentrations in the states of South Carolina, Kentucky, North Carolina and Texas. The name also appears, albeit less densely, in Canada, Australia and France. More recent global mobility has led to a further spread of individuals bearing the name into diverse regions.
Because the surname often appears as a first name and because of its many orthographical variants, genealogists are advised to consider all possible spellings when researching family records. Attention to local dialectical influences and historical transcription practices can prove essential in establishing accurate lineage links for those of the Jolly and its related families.
Typical given names associated with the Jolly surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- Ian
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
- William
Female
- Amanda
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jane
- Karen
- Linda
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Jolly in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 7,081 people named Jolly in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,332nd most common surname in Britain. Around 109 in a million people in Britain are named Jolly.
Surname type: Nickname
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Jolly
- Ema Jolly - Singer-songwriter
- Judith Jolly, Baroness Jolly - Teacher and Peer in the House of Lords
- Richard Jolly - Economist
- Kevin Jolly - Badminton player
- Brian Jolly - Cyclist
- Nicci Jolly - Television presenter
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.