Jemison
A surname meaning “son of James,” with Jem as a familiar short form of James.
The #8,653 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 81,313 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Jemison is a patronymic surname built from the pet form Jem, a familiar short form of James, plus -son, meaning “son of.” In that sense, the name literally means “son of Jem” or more broadly “son of James.” Older surname collections also treat it as a close variant of Jamison and Jimson, reflecting the many regional spellings that grew from nicknames for James.
History
The name appears in older English-language surname lists as a variant alongside Jamison, Jimson, and related forms. It was especially noted in Scottish and Irish contexts, where James often produced nicknames such as Jem and Jamie. In the United States, the spelling Jemison became established enough to survive as a distinct surname, though it remains relatively uncommon.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Nineteenth- and early twentieth-century surname writers often grouped Jemison with other “James + son” forms rather than treating it as fully separate.
From the historical record
“Jellison being a variant. Boston (U.S.), 9, 3, Jemison; v. Jimpson. Jemmett. — Bapt 'the son of James,' from nick. Jem and dim. Jemm-et; cf. Emmett (little Emma"), Hewett(littleHugh),&c. Although”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)Notable people named Jemison
- Mae Jemison (b. 1956)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.