Jester
An occupational surname for a court fool or professional entertainer.
The #4,676 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 40,694 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Jester is an occupational surname from the common noun meaning a professional fool, wit, or entertainer at a noble household or court. The word ultimately relates to older French and broader Germanic vocabulary for joking, jesting, or amusing behavior, though the surname itself is best understood from the English occupational term. In early records, it would have been applied to someone who played that role, or occasionally as a nickname for a lively, humorous person.
History
The name is recorded in medieval and early modern English sources in the same occupational sense as other surnames like Fool. Bardsley notes examples in London and elsewhere, showing that it was in use as a hereditary surname by the 16th and 17th centuries. It is uncommon today, but still appears in English-speaking countries, especially the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley treats Jester alongside surnames such as Fool and Palsant/Pleasant, showing how often medieval bynames came straight from a person’s public role or reputation.
From the historical record
“Cp.' Pp.tching. 2 JESTER, Clown [f. E. patch, an in- serted piece of cloth] (Northants), the A.-Sax. Passan-hdm = Passa's Home or Estate {O.E. hdm\”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)