Was Joyce a first name or a last name first?

Question

I know it's an Irish last name, but there are also women with the first name Joyce. Was it first a last name, or a first name?

Answer 1

Joyce is, as you say, a surname, e.g.James Joyce the great writer.

It is also a Germanic word that has become a given or first name. It stands for Geat. and is the female form of Jocelyn.

(  A  Geat is or was an inhabitant of southern Sweden. )

Answer 2

It's from the first name of 7th century Breton saint. It came to Ireland in the 13th century when a welshman settled in Connacht.

Answer 3

Personally, I think that it started out as a middle name, and spread in both directions!!!