Joseph Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Joseph last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Joseph last name
Meaning of the Joseph last name: he will add. Joseph is an English surname from the personal name Joseph, from Hebrew Yosef, 'he will add'. The last name usually marked the son or household of a man called Joseph. A curious detail: after the Reformation, Old Testament names became fashionable, so the family name meaning spread beyond any single parish.
Arms associated with the Joseph name
Heraldry associated with the Joseph surname uses a few strong colours, and each coat of arms has its own blazon.
Get your full Joseph family history
This is only a glimpse of the Joseph story. The full Joseph history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Joseph coat of arms. Get the full Joseph report.
Joseph name FAQ
What does the Joseph name mean?
He will add. Common variants include Josephs.
Where does the Joseph surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Joseph coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Joseph coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).