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The Joyce clan

By
JULIA MCAVOY GOTTLIEB
,
IrishCentral.com
Published Wednesday, September 23, 2009, 5:07 PM
Updated Wednesday, September 23, 2009, 5:10 PM
Read more: James Joyce, Margaret Joyce, William Joyce, Ireland

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Legendary writer James Joyce
Legendary writer James Joyce

Although the surname Joyce may automatically be associated with author James Joyce, the name has an ancient past, with both Irish and Norman antecedents.

Derived from the Brehon personal name Iodoc, which is a diminutive of iudh meaning lord, the name was adopted by the Normans in the form Josse.

While some scholars believe that the name developed from the French Joie, which means joy, a multitude of names developed in Ireland and England from Josse, including Joce, Joass, and Joyce.

Despite its international origins, Joyce is regarded as a true Irish name and is more common in Ireland than in any other country.

Silent film star Alice Joyce
Silent film star Alice Joyce

The first documented Joyce, Thomas de Jorse, a Norman Welshman, married the daughter of the Prince of Thomond in 1283 and settled in Connaught. And today the majority of those bearing the name come from this province. So much so, that the area has become known as Joyce Country.

The Joyce coat of arms displays two eagles in tribute to the special relationship the bird has to the clan.

Legend has it that while William Joyce was traveling in Europe during the Crusades he was captured by Saracens. He escaped and was led by an eagle to the location of a buried treasure. After returning home, he used the riches from this treasure to build the walls of Galway City.

Later, William Joyce's granddaughter Margaret Joyce, or Margaret na Drehide (of the bridges), built bridges throughout Connaught, which includes the modern counties of Mayo and Galway. Margaret also encountered an eagle, one which dropped a jewel into her lap.

Known for their tall stature, many of the Joyces became successful merchants and interspersed themselves through the Fourteen Tribes of Galway.

The clan also produced many fine scholars, historians, linguists, and folklorists. Indeed, it is believed that it was a Joyce who designed the Claddagh Ring, one Ireland's most enduring symbols. This Joyce is said to have learned his silversmithing trade while being held captive in Algeria.

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The Joyce clan | Irish Clans and Irish Family Crests | IrishCentral


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