The origin of the family name is French.  Though there are many spellings in use in the United States, all of the names are descended from the first ancestor in America, Jean (John) deJarnat.  Jean was born around 1680 in La Rochelle, France.  He was the son of Samuel deJarnat.  He married Mary Mumford after his arrival in America.  John and Mary had 7 children, all with their name spelled "DeJarnette".  John died in 1760 in King William, Virginia.

Jean deJarnat was Huguenot.  He left France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by way of the Port of La Rochelle.  After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, great masses of Huguenots left France.  Some remained in Holland while others went to England.  Great numbers emigrated to America.  All of those going to American had to touch at an English port to get permission before proceeding.  In 1699, 600 settlers arrived in Gloucester County, Virginia under the leadership of Phillip DaRichbourg.  Young Jean deJarnat was among this group.

The fact that Jean wrote deJarnat as his name, signifies the family belonged to the French Nobility.  In the "Nobilaiare Universal DeFrance", the name is known as "Jarno (de)".  First mention of the name is on March 24, 1454 when Jean deJarno acquired the land of the Seguiniere.  In 1544, Marc deJarno received the Order of Saint-Jean of Jerusalem, thus acquiring Nobility.

The family estate was an ancient fort at Poitiers.  Marc deJarno was Mayor of Poitiers.

From the origins in Virginia, the DeJarnette descendents spread throughout the United States.  The "Texas DeJarnetts" arrived from Kentucky via Illinois during the mid 1800's and settled south of Fort Worth.  Ira DeJarnett moved to the panhandle area in the late 1800's where Major DeJarnett was born in 1904.  Major, named for a Civil War hero, located in the farming/ranching area north of Lubbock where he married Naomi Rieff and engaged in farming/ranching until his death in 1965.  Major (Mike) and Naomi had two sons, Donald and Kenneth.

Family Coat of Arms

On a blue field are three swans' necks and heads of silver, placed two above one.  The supports are two lions of gold.  The crest has a head and neck of a swan in silver, blanked by two half wings of the same.

Ancestral Family Motto

MY HOPE IS GOD