Surname Joass - Meaning and Origin
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Joass: What does the surname Joass mean?
The last name Joass is a name of French origin, with a unique spelling that likely derives from the old German personal name Johann. Joass is most commonly found in France, where it was first recorded in the 12th century when Johann the son of Jeho brisan gave his name to the settlement. It is not found in other regions of Europe, although variations of the name Joass can be found in other countries.
The literal translation of the name Joass is "Jehovah has given," and the Joass family originally hailed from the southern region of France. Their roots most likely entwine with the idea of gift, and the idea of the blessed, as the name is derived from two Hebrew terms. The origin of the name is also related to a specific region, reinforcing the notion of a family or group belonging to a certain place.
Variations of the Joass surname include Joas, Joasser, Joassin, Joassard, and Joase. In terms of modern usage, descendants of the Joass family may still retain the name, while other families may adopt other versions of the name.
In modern times, the last name Joass is most commonly found in France, although it can be found scattered throughout Europe, as well as the United States and Canada. It continues to carry the sentiment of gift giving and blessings, as its roots originate in biblical Hebrew.
Order DNA origin analysisJoass: Where does the name Joass come from?
The last name Joass is most commonly found in France today. It is associated with the region of Normandy, which is in the northwestern part of France near the English Channel. In the 20th century, as rural families began to migrate to larger cities, the name spread to Paris and the surrounding areas.
Joass is derived from the old French term “joie”, which means joy or gladness. The addition of the “s” ending may be a nod to a geography-based nickname, such as having originated from the Joss River, which runs through Normandy.
Other than France, Joass is not particularly widespread. It can be found in very small numbers in Canada, the United States, Germany, and Switzerland. It is also not uncommon to see this name amongst French-speaking populations in the United Kingdom, such as in London, Scotland, and Wales.
As a whole, the name Joass is still not particularly widespread, but it continues to be associated with France and the region of Normandy.
Variations of the surname Joass
The surname Joass is of French-Norman origin. It is most commonly found in northern France and Normandy. It is derived from the personal name Josse or Josce, which is a form of the biblical name "Joseph". The variants of Joass include Joce, Joist, Joss, Jossy, Jost, Josce, Josset, Josty, Josse, and Jossey.
The variants and their spellings can be further divided into different regional dialects. For example, the word Joce could be spelled as Joce(s), Joece(s), Jocz(e), or Joz(e); and the word Jost could be spelled as Jost(e), Josty(s), Jostie(s), or Jostey(s).
Other similar surnames include Jose, Josse, Jolivet, Joyal, Joicey, Jolly, Joslyn, Jorey, and Jorion.
Although these surnames might sound similar, they still have different traces of French-Norman origins. Jose, for example, is a Spanish surname, while Josse is of English-Flemish origin. Similarly, Joyal and Joicey are French-Flemish surnames, and Jolivet is French-Norman. Lastly, Jorion, Jorey and Jolly are also French-Norman surnames with different traces of origin.
Famous people with the name Joass
- Paul Joass: an actor from South Africa who has appeared in movies such as White Sound and Hard to Get.
- Stu Joass: a stand-up comedian from New Zealand who released his first hour-long comedy show on TVNZ in 2018.
- Frances Joss: an actress from the UK, best known for her role in the TV series Upstairs Downstairs.
- Georgia Joass: an Australian actress known for her roles in popular films such as Bedazzled (2000) and Ned Kelly (2003).
- Ben Joass: a popular British music producer, who has worked with acts such as Badly Drawn Boy and Pet Shop Boys.
- Lester Joass: a professional player of Rugby League, who played in the National Rugby League for the Canberra Raiders.
- Andrew Joass: a ballet dancer from Australia, recognized for his award-winning performances in productions such as the Dance Defiled Festival in Melbourne.
- Harry Joass: a singer from Scotland who has released several solo albums, along with several singles, and performed in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012.
- Magdalene Joass: a singer-songwriter from Canada, best known for her folk/pop style of music.
- Jennifer Joass: a writer from the USA, who has published several novels, short stories, and essays, most famously her 2015 book Unremembered.