The England surname of Jefferson comes from the name of Jeffrey or Geoffrey. The names meant peace. Various spellings for Jefferson include Jeffrys, Jeffers and Jefferies. In Scotland those with the Jefferson name live in Angus, Inverness-shire and Lanarkshire counties. The northern region of England, Yorkshire and Cumberland counties, have the greater numbers of Jefferson families. In the United States those with the Jefferson name in highest numbers are in Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Famous: Thomas Jefferson (3rd US President), John Jefferson (professional football player), Geoffrey Jefferson (pioneer doctor in neurosurgery) and Arthur Stanley Jefferson (actor known as Stan Laurel).