Joplin

Recorded in the spellings of Joblin, Jobling, Joplin, and Jopling, this interesting surname is medieval English, and has at least four possible origins. The first is that it may be a diminutive of the famous name Job, introduced into Europe by returning Crusaders of the 12th century. It became as fashion to christen the children of these soldiers or pilgrims from the Holy land with biblical names, of which this was a popular example. The second possible origin is that may be a metonymic from the pre 10th century Old French "job or joppe", and describe a professional jester, and probably one who took part in the famous travelling theatres of the Middle Ages. Thirdly it may be occupational and describe a maker of barrels, in other words a cooper, and deriving from the word 'jopper', meaning a vessel containing four gallons of liquid. Lastly it could be occupational for a maker or seller of a long woollen garment known in both Enggland and France as a jube or jupe, meaning a skirt! Early examples of the surname recording taken from surviving church records include: John Joblin, who married Katherine Mocke on October 12th 1626, at St. Dunstan's, Stepney, Abraham Joblin in the Friary Rolls of Yorkshire, in 1652, and Jane, the daughter of Henry and Alice Jobling, christened at St. James church, Clerkenwell, London, on January 11th 1739. The first recorded spelling of the family name may be that of Erne Jobin, in Pipe Rolls of the county of Herfordshire, in the year 1173. This was during the reign of King Henry 11nd of England, known as "The church builder", 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. Throughout the centuries surnames in every country have continued to "develop", often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.