Joyce Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Joyce Family History

Joyce Family History

The Joyce ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives.

Surnames developed a wide number of variants over the centuries. Many different spelling variations of the same name can be traced back to a single original root. Also, when a bearer of a name emigrated from Ireland it was not uncommon that their original name would be incorrectly transcribed in the record books upon arrival at their new location. Some names have dozens of spelling variations. Some Surnames were also altered over the years based on how they sounded phonetically, by their sound, and depending on the prevailing political conditions it may have been advantageous to change a name from one language to another. This was especially so in Ireland where most Gaelic names were 'anglicized' at some stage.

Variants of the name Joyce include Choice and Choyce. This is a baptismal name meaning 'the son of Joyce', an old personal name. The first Joyce came to Ireland in 1283, his name being Thomas de Jorse. He married the daughter of O'Brien, Prince of Thomond and went with her by sea to County Galway. There in Iar Connacht, which runs over the Mayo border, they were at first a minor sept to the O'Flahertys but soon established themselves so firmly and so permanently that the territory they inhabited became known as 'Joyce's Country' and they had a recognized Chief of the name. The 'Composition Book of Connacht' places that Chief in the Barony of Ross, County Galway. William Joyce was Archbishop of Tuam from 1487-1501, and two of the name were Archbishops of Armagh from 1307-1324. The variants Choice and Choyce are the sharpened forms of this name. Cunnagher and Connagher are occasional variants of Joyce found in County Mayo.The Joyce family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Joyce descendants.