Jeffery is a masculine name of English origin, derived from the French name Geoffrey, which in turn comes from the Germanic name Geoffroy. The name Geoffroy is composed of two elements: "geof" meaning "peace," and "ric" meaning "power." Therefore, Jeffery signifies "peace and power."
The name Jeffrey first became popular in England during the Middle Ages. It was often associated with nobility due to its use by several members of the French royal family and English aristocracy. Over time, however, it has become more widespread and is now considered a common name in many English-speaking countries.
Historically, there have been several notable figures named Jeffery or Jeffrey throughout history. One such example is Sir Jeffrey Amherst, a British Army officer who served during the French and Indian War. Another famous Jeffery was Jeffery Dahmer, an American serial killer whose crimes gained notoriety in the late 20th century.
Despite its historical associations with both nobility and infamy, the name Jeffery remains largely independent of such connotations today. It is simply a masculine given name that has been popular for centuries and continues to be used by families around the world.
The name Jeffery experienced a significant increase in popularity between the late 1940s and the mid-1950s, reaching its peak in 1956 with 7507 births. However, it has been on a steady decline since then, with only 153 births recorded in 2023. Over the entire period from 1894 to 2023, there were a total of 230,276 births named Jeffery.