James Family Crest and Surname Origin
A short guide to the James surname: its meaning, its roots in England & Wales, and its heraldry.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the James coat of arms for you.
Origin of the James name
James comes from the personal name James, the medieval English form of Latin Iacobus, itself from the Hebrew Jacob. The name became popular in Britain through the pilgrimage cult of St James the Great at Santiago de Compostela, and as a surname it began as a patronymic, "son of James". It is especially frequent in Wales, where fixed surnames were often taken from a father's first name as late as the 17th and 18th centuries.
Our historical archives hold much more on the James name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the James name in England & Wales. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Australia and Canada; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full James family history
The researched James pack traces meaning, early bearers and migration routes, and includes a personalized James coat of arms.
James name FAQ
What does the James name mean?
Son of James (from Jacob). Common variants include Jameson, Jamieson, Jeames.
Where does the James surname come from?
It originates in England & Wales, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a James coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single James crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized James coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.