Jestico

This very rare and unusual name is of Spanish or Portuguese origin, and was introduced into England during the late 18th Century. The name is thought to have been "Hestico" in its original form, with "Jestico" or "Gesteco" becoming the Anglicized forms, due to phonetic spelling. The derivation is from the Spanish "Justo", used in the first instance as a nickname or a given name, with the diminutive suffix "-ico". The name is found in many European countries, having been adopted from the Latin "Justus", to mean "honourable", "upright". There were several early saints of this name, among them a 6th Century bishop of Urgell, in Catalonia. In England the surname can be found as Jestico, Gestico, Jesteco and Gesteco, and is recorded mainly in the southern and south-western counties. The christening of one John Jestico was recorded at St. Andrew's, Holborn, London, on August 4th 1793. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Joseph Jestico (marriage to Elisabeth Marshman), which was dated May 21st 1770, in Upper Clatford, Hampshire, during the reign of King George 111, knwon as "Farmer George", 1760 - 1820. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.