This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of James.' The purely English Jamison and its variants are almost entirely confined to North England, and indeed the great majority are of Lowland Scottish descent. On the other hand, James as a surname is as often South English as North, which accounts for the multitude of its modern representatives. It is particularly strong in the West country.

James Jacobus Audithleg, Salop, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Walter James, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

Jacobus Maldeson, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Willelmus Jamessson, (sic) 1379: ibid.

Johannes Jamesman (i.e. the servant of James), 1379: ibid.

Alicia James, doghter, 1379: ibid.

Henricus Jamsman, 1379: ibid.

Johannes James, 1379: ibid.

1566-7. Robert Mowlde and Alice James: Marriage Lic. (London).

1769. Married — William Jamison and Mary Smith: St. George, Hanover Square.

Thomas Jameson, of Alnwick, and Ann Wilson: ibid.

From the personal name. Three persons named James took an active part in the foundation of the early Christian church: (1) James the Elder, (2) James the Younger, or the Little, and (3) James the Great. St. James was the patron saint of the Fitzalans, hence doubtless the popularity of the name among the Stewart kings, and Gaelic Seumas, which see. The current surname probably of recent introduction from England.

'son of James.' A family named Jamieson or Neilson held the office of Crowner of Bute from the beginning of the fourteenth century or earlier to the seventeenth century. Alexander Jemison had a safe conduct to trade with England in 1445 (Bain, IV, 1178), William Jamyson was tenant of Pollock, 1472 (Cupar-Angus, I, p. 221), and John Jamesone was repledged to liberty of the burgh of Irvine in the same year (Irvine, I, p. 28). Robert Jacobi was citizen of Brechin, 1493 (REB., II, 138), and Schir Symond Jameson was 'wiccar pencionar of Mathy' in 1497 (Cupar-Angus, I, p. 251). Fergus Jacobi, 'coronator de But' (Bute) in 1501, is mentioned in the same document as Fergus Jamisone (LCD., p. 205). John Jamyson was admitted burgess of Aberdeen, 1465 (NSCM., I, p. 19), David Jameson was dompnus of Newbattle Abbey, 1528 (Neubotle, p. 309), John Jamezing was respited for his share in the slaughter of John, erle of Cathnes, 1539 (RSS., II, 3151), and c. 1550 William Jamesoune in Aberdeen was paid 'to mend the keyheid' (SCM., V, p. 51). Jamysone 1477, Jimessone 1631.

Jamie’s Son.

(Scottish) The son of Jamie. Scotch pet form of James (the supplanter).

The first appearance of this Christian name in our annals is in Domesday. It afterwards became a common surname, besides giving rise to Jameson, Jamieson, Jempson, Jemmett. and probably through its French form, Jacques, to Jeakes, Jacklin, and the widely-spread Jackson; though John, through its accepted nickname Jack, may have an equal claim to that familiar patronymic.

The Scottish form of Jameson.

(Hebrew.) The same as Jacob, he that supplants.

James. —The principal home of this name is in South Wales and Monmouthshire. Lower tells us of a very ancient Pembroke family possessing an estate successively held by thirteen persons bearing the name of William James. The name is also frequent in Shropshire and Herefordshire on the Welsh border, and in the neighbouring counties of Gloucester and Stafford. It is also numerous in the south - west of England, especially in Somerset, Dorset, and Cornwall. In the eastern counties it nearly disappears, but it reappears in the north, though in no great numbers. The affix of "son" is rarely found in England in connection with James, except in the northern counties, as in county Durham. Jamieson is a widely - spread Scottish name, but is rare in the north of Scotland.

The surname James derived directly from the first name. This in its turn is a form of the original Hebrew name Jacob, and first became popular through the two Apostles. The Hebrew Jacob comes from the word ‘aqob’ which means ‘supplanter’ or ‘usurper’ (all too appropriate in the case of Jacob, the son of Isaac-one of the earliest Jacobs-who deprived his brother Esau of his birthright).

The original Jacob became Latinised to Jacobus, and from this we get the French first name Jacques, as well as the identical Welsh and Spanish form Iago. The Latinised form later became Jacomus, and it is from this root that we get our name James. It is also the source of the Spanish form Jayme (Jaime), the Italian Giacomo, and the Irish version Seamus (pronounced Shaymus).

The name, in all its varied forms, began to gain popularity all over Europe during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. It has been suggested that the name came to prominence around this time as a result of its having been brought back by the Crusaders, and this may have been a contributory factor.

The surname James has several variations, the most widespread being Jameson, Jamison, and Jamieson (which almost certainly derives from the Scottish abbreviation ‘Jamie’).

References to the name James start occurring in the English records around the turn of the twelfth century. One of the earliest of these is a certain Jam de Sancto Hylario who appears in the Early Charters for Northamptonshire for 1173-6.

The surname James is popular all over England (despite the closely related Jamisons being found almost exclusively in the Scottish lowland region). The greatest concentrations of James are now found in the West Country.

The ‘King James Version’ is another name given to the Authorised Version of the Bible which was ordered by King James I. The resonant style of this classic translation remains one of the finest examples of our language.

Jakes was a popular Elizabethan slang word for a lavatory-which accounts for the word’s frequent sly appearances in Shakespeare’s comedies. The word survives in our language today as ‘the Jacks’, a slang expression with the same meaning.

‘BBC English’ was created by the British phonetician, Arthur Lloyd James (1884—1943), who was the arbiter on all matters of pronunciation during the Corporation’s formative years.

Jesse James (1847—82) and his brother Frank were legendary Wild West desperadoes and bank robbers. Together they gunned down at least ten men.

Jameson’s Raid (29 December 1895) was Doctor Leander Starr Jameson’s ill-fated attempt to overthrow the Transvaal Republic by fomenting an uprising in Johannesburg. Mounted with Cecil Rhodes’ backing, Jameson and his fellow soldiers of fortune were surrounded and surrendered abjectly before they ever reached the city.

The United Kingdom has a Jameston and 3 Jamestowns. Canada and South Africa also have Jamestowns while 10 states of America have towns and cities bearing this name. In all, 18 US locations are name related. The name is geographically common around the world, including South Africa’s Jameson Park.

With about 127,000 namesakes James is the 40th most popular surname in England and Wales. (The name is not common enough throughout Scotland to be counted separately.) James is notably popular in and around Cardiff where an estimated one in about 115 families bears the name. In descending numerical order Bristol, Birmingham and Coventry are other James strongholds. Around the world James’s are most common in Sydney (one in 709 families), Melbourne (one in 769) and Wellington (one in 893). The United States has more James’s than the entire population of Southampton-an estimated total of just over 227,000 makes this their 89th most popular surname.