Surname Jump - Meaning and Origin

Jump: What does the surname Jump mean?

The surname Jump is of English origin, derived from the pre 7th-century Old Norse personal name "Jumpr". This name was typically given to a tall person or perhaps someone who was particularly good at leaping or jumping. It could also potentially be given to someone whose job required jumping, such as a professional dancer, jumper, or acrobat.

In some cases, the surname may have been topographical, given to someone who lived by a strip of land or boundary. The word "jump" has been used in Lancashire since the 14th century to signify a narrow valley or stream, a meaning borrowed from the Old Norse "gjömp", meaning a hollow or depression.

Like many surnames, Jump can be traced back to a specific geographical area. It is prevalent in the North West of England, especially in Lancashire. Surnames became necessary as governments introduced personal taxation, and they were often derived from locations, occupations, or nicknames.

Remember, surname meanings are often speculative and their origins can be multiple and mixed. Generations of movement, occupational changes, and cultural blending can obscure a name's original meaning.

Jump: Where does the name Jump come from?

The surname Jump is of English origin. It's believed to have derived from a place named Jump in South Yorkshire, England. The place name itself comes from the Old English term for a small hill, "gumph," which signifies that the first bearers of this surname likely lived near or on a small hill.

In the early English census records, the Jump surname was found predominantly in Lancashire and Yorkshire. Jump families have now spread far and wide, but according to forebears.io, as of 2014, it was most prevalent in the United States, with over 2,000 recorded individuals bearing the surname. The United Kingdom recorded the second-highest count of Jumps, followed by Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

However, the surname remains relatively rare, ranking 48,904th in the world by incidence. Some scholarly sources also suggest that the surname may have originated from a nickname referring to a person of a particularly joyous or exuberant disposition, deriving from the Middle English word 'jumpe' meaning 'to leap or jump', but this theory is less widely accepted.

Variations of the surname Jump

The surname Jump is likely of English origin, possibly derived from a location or landmark, such as a small hill or jump in the terrain. To understand its variations, it’s essential to consider the nature of surnames and their change over time. Names were often changed to fit a region’s language or pronunciation, especially for immigrants moving to new countries.

Jump can be variated in spelling or can morph into related surnames based on linguistic changes or geographical distributions. Variations in spelling might include Jumpe, Jemp, Joump, Jomp, and Gump.

Being phonetically similar, it's also possible that surnames like Jimp or Jamp may also be linked to Jump. Furthermore, English surnames such as Jumper might also be variants of the same name, holding its roots in the same original name or word.

Additionally, surnames that are translated versions of the term 'jump' in other languages could potentially share the origin. However, without specific background details, it's hard to find a definitive list of variants and surnames of the same origin. Further genealogical research would be needed to confirm these connections.

Famous people with the name Jump

• Jason Jump, American geneticist
• Katrina Jump, Australian actress
• Ty Jump, American football player
• Cat Jump, American singer
• Skyler Jump, American rapper
• Jessie Jump, American film director
• Nic Jump, American baseball player
• Joy Jump, American reality TV personality
• Gail Jump, Canadian actor
• John Jump, British race car driver
• Paul Jump, American politician
• Steve Jump, American basketball player
• Leslie Jump, American model
• Lee Jump, Canadian singer
• Jermaine Jump, American animator
• Kay Jump, English artist
• Fred Jump, American talk show host
• Mary Jump, American climber
• Tony Jump, American film producer
• Jake Jump, American painter

Other surnames

JumpeJumperJumpertJumps