Justham

This unusual and interesting name is of early Medieval English origin, and is one of the patronymic forms of the popular diminutive variant of the given name Jordan, found as Judd or Jutt. Jordan became a favourite personal name during the time of the Crusades for the children of returning pilgrims and crusaders, since it was the custom for these travellers to bring back flasks of water from the River Jordan, in which John the Baptist had baptized people, including Christ himself, and to use it in the christening of their own children. The river derives its name from the Hebrew "Yarden", from "yarad", to go down, descend, i.e., to the Dead Sea. The variant of the name first recorded (see below) as Judron include Jutson, Jutsum, Justum, Justham, Jotcham, Josham and Jossum. One Paridam Josham was christened at St. Botolph's without Aldgate, London, on October 28th 1705. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Judson, which was dated 1324, in the "Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield", during the reign of King Edward 11, known as "Edward of Caernafon", 1307 - 1327. 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.