11,771 Global Josselyn Family Members

Josselyn Family History

Family spelling variants include Joslyn, Josling, Joslen, Joselin, Josselyn, Jocelyn, Joscelyn, Joscelyne, Josolyne, Josland, Joseland, Gosling, Goslin, Gosselin, Gossling, Gostling, Gosland.

There are approximately 11,771 Joslin family members around the world. In general you can double this figure to include those related to the Joslin names to allow for those connected to the name through maiden name connections.

It is estimated that the largest group of Joslin family members live in USA with 8,995 (76.4%) members, England with 1,811 (15.4%) members, Canada with 476 (4%) members, Australia with 251 (2.1%), South Africa with 121 (1%) members, Wales with 50 (0.4%) members, New Zealand with 47 (0.4%) members and Scotland with 18 (0.2%) members. 

In 1891 census, the surname was recorded with 1,189 occurrences in England and Wales. It was recorded as a top surname in Essex with 408 occurrences. Further South West, there were a further 208 occurrences in Devon.

In 1881, the most common Joslin occupation in the UK was Agricultural Labourer. Agricultural Labourer, Farmer and Labourer were the top 3 reported jobs worked by Joslin. A less common occupation was Farm Labourer.

Recorded in many spellings, this is a surname of French origins. Particularly popular in the British Isles, it was recorded as a personal name even before the Norman French Invasion of 1066 nevertheless it was after that date that it began to achieve popularity. It derives from the German name Goscelin, also responsible for the English surname of Gosling. 

The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Goselin. This was dated 1185, in the register of the Knight Templars for the county of Lincolnshire, during the reign of King Henry 11nd of England, 1154 - 1189. 

Joslin or Josling is a corruption of the personal name Jocelyn, Josceline, or Josselyn, the name of an ancient knightly Essex family of Hyde Hall that held the manor of High Roding and other extensive estates in this and the surrounding counties as far back as the 16th century.

An Norman-English relationship name from the Old French personal name Goscelin, Gosselin, Joscelin (Continental Germanic Gautselin Goz(e)lin).

A patronymic surname that came from the Germanic personal name Jocelyn, meaning Goth.

Similarly, ‘'Little Gotha', from the ancient tribe of that name which was prominent in ancient legends or from the pre 5th century personal name Gauzelin, also a diminutive form of Gaut.

However, the name also came to be considered as a pet form of Old French Josse.

Early bearers of the surnames include: Willelmus filius Jocealini, Jocelini, Gosceami, Josealmi, 1208–12 in Curia Regis Rolls (Lincs); Robert Goselin, 1185 in Templars Records (Lincs); Walter Joslein, Joslani, Goslein, 1195–8 in Pipe Rolls (Yorks); Ralph Jocelin’, 1198 in Curia Regis Rolls (Norfolk); Edrich Gocelin‘ (Goscelin’), 1204 in Pipe Rolls (Lincs); Ralph Joscelin, 1208 in Curia Regis Rolls (Northants); William Joclenne, 1243 in Assize Rolls (Somerset); Thomas Gosselyn, 1327 in Subsidy Rolls (Cambs); John Gostelen, Gosteleyn, 1462 in Norwich Wills (Norfolk); John Gostlyng, 1526 in Norwich Wills (Suffolk).

The noted, William Murray Joslin (1901 – 1981) was an electrical engineer who made major contributions to nuclear power. He joined Commonwealth Edison Company, where he became a vice-president of Commonwealth Edison in 1953. He also headed various activities of the company including the early development of nuclear power. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers elected him Fellow in 1973. He received the IEEE Edison Medal in 1976.

Another noted, Elliott Proctor Joslin (1869 – 1962) was the first doctor in the United States to specialise in diabetes and was the founder of today's Joslin Diabetes Center. Joslin was involved for seven decades in most aspects of diabetes investigation and treatment. 

Joslin became effectively the dean of diabetes mellitus, following the Toronto group’s blockbuster discovery of insulin in 1921. In the mid-1920s, Joslin, took the reins as the world spokesman for the "cause of diabetes". He was the first to advocate for teaching patients to care for their own diabetes, an approach now commonly referred to as DSME or Diabetes Self-Management Education. 

He is also a recognised pioneer in glucose management, identifying that tight glucose control leads to fewer and less extreme complications.

1881, 1891 Census

1881 Census in Essex

1881 Census in Devon

Dictionary of American Family Homes, P Hanks OUP 2003

Homes of Family Names in Great Britain, H.B. Guppy, London 1890

The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, P.Hanks, Coats, McClure OUP 2016

1860 Lower, Mark A Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom, London: J.R Smith. Public Domain

1857 Arthur, William An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. New York: Sheldon, Blakeman. Public Domain

J.M.P