Jewitt, Juitt, Jewet, Jewett, Jewet - why all the different spellings?

Image: 15th century scribe found on MedievalBooks blog site of Erik Kwakkel, PhD. researcher at Leiden University in the Netherlands.

Whichever way you choose to spell it, the Jewitt name found its way to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066.  The name is said to derive from the surname of Jowett, a baptismal name which refers back to Julien with its noble Roman origins. 
 
According to the website, HouseofNames.com, multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names.  Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, when Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had been spoken.  To add to the confusion, most people did not know how to read and write. These skills were primarily centered in the churches, where, with no spelling rules and two or more languages competing for dominance, medieval scribes were left to their own devices, spelling names and words according to sound, and using their own best judgement.  As a result, names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded.  
 
Fast forward to the 21st century and believe it or not there is a website called  FamilyTreeDNA that is here to solve the mystery of which spelling(s) of your name you are actually related to.  It even has a "Jewett" Group Project going if you want to submit some of your saliva and find out the answer. 
 
I think of the medieval scribe who could never have imagined such a thing, as he labored alone in his scriptorium sounding out the words: Jewitt, Jewett, Jouett, Juet, Jowitt...