In the Netherlands, surnames were not legally required until 1811. That’s when Napoleon took over the country and added it to France. The Netherland’s history as a part of France was short lived as Napoleon was defeated in 1815. But surnames stuck around.
I found when my family chose it’s name. It was definitely during the time Napoleon ruled. 1811 to be exact. The family actually chose the name Jouwersma in 1811, but it seems the name didn’t actually stick to that for very long. The name was probably from the small village they lived in called Jouswerd, which is near Wolsum, Fryslan.
While my Jousma line didn’t originate from the links below I am leaving these links in just in case they support someone else who may be from another Jousma line.
http://www.stinseninfriesland.nl/JouwsmaStateAnjum.htm
In this link, the author talks about a Jouwsma estate (stins, steinhus. Stone house) from around 1511. The name was noted in records until the early 1700s. Some spellings of the name were Jusma, Jousma, Jouwsma, Juwsma, Jwsma. The location of this estate was in current day northern Netherlands, near the village of Anjum, Friesland. The author notes a Jelle Juwsma who owned the estate at one point, but it’s not clear if he was the first owner and thus the namesake. There is also a Jouwersma mentioned from the adjacent village.
http://www.simonwierstra.nl/JUWSMA.htm
This next link shows a brief genealogy of Hessel van Juwsma who died after 1421. He was admitted as a craftsman in the village of Driesum, Friesland in 1399. He was also named in a document from Rinsumageest, Friesland in 1421. His decedents are listed until the date of about 1586.
On Their Shoulders 
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