Others speculate that the family has Turkish origins and is named after ‘jawish’, a word meaning the Turkish military service member. 

Members
The members of the Shawish and Jawish families total 1000 and are distributed by sect as follows:

• Greek Orthodox: 450
• Sunni: 300
• Shia’a: 154
• Alawite: 25
• Greek Orthodox: 5

Shawish members total 332 and break down as follows:

• 25 Alawites in Tebbaneh in Tripoli
• 190 Sunni members of which 110 live in Dar Mraissi, Marfaa and Mazraa in Beirut, 20 are in Nouri in Tripoli and 60 members in Nabi Yousheh in Mennieh and Dennieh.
• 99 Shia’a members, 15 of which in Ashrafieh and 84 in Temnin in Baalbeck.
• 18 Greek Catholic members in Shouf. 

Al-Shawish members total 232 and break down as follows:

• 165 Greek Catholic members, 15 of which live in the western Midan neighborhood in Zahle, 115 in Mansoura in Western Beqa’a and 35 members in Damour, Shouf.
• 23 Sunni members in Majdal Anjar.
• 45 Shia’a members in Hezzine in Baalbeck.

Jawish members total 144 and break down as follows: 

• 72 Greek Catholic members, five of which live in Ashrafieh (Beirut), 15 in Saifi (Beirut), 20 in Joun (Shouf) and 32 in Deir El-Qamar (Shouf.) 
• 5 Greek Orthodox members in Qebbeh in Tripoli
• 57 Sunni members including 16 in Msaytbeh (Beirut), 31 in Mazra’a (Beirut) and 10 members in Nabi Yousheh (Mennieh – Dennieh.) 
• 10 Shia’a members in Zrariyeh (Saida).

Al-Jawish members total 225 and break down as follows:

• 195 Greek Catholic members of which 115 are present in Mansoura (Western Beqa’a), 55 in Joun (Shouf), 15 in Karkha (Jezzine) and 10 members in Alman (Shouf).
• 30 Sunni members including nine in Hazmieh (Baabda) and 21 in Marfa’a (Beirut).