Surname Janißen - Meaning and Origin
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Janißen: What does the surname Janißen mean?
The last name Janißen is a patronymic surname and is of German and Dutch origin. It is composed of two elements, the personal name Jan and the suffix -ißen, which indicates a patronym of Jan. The name Jan is a diminutive form of Johannes, the Latin form of John. Thus, Janißen literally means "son of John." This patronymic surname is found throughout Germany and the Netherlands, as well as in the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Sweden, and Finland.
The common spelling is Janißen, although it may also be spelled Janissen, Janßen, Janzsen, or Janzen. Janißen is most common in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, located in west-central Germany. It is also found in the Netherlands, particularly in the provinces of Limburg and Overijssel.
Today, Janißen is a fairly common surname. The name typically refers to someone who is a descendant of someone with the given name Jan, and may therefore be associated with several different families. It is a reminder of the Germanic and Dutch cultural heritage of the people who bear it, and may suggest a close connection to the past.
Order DNA origin analysisJanißen: Where does the name Janißen come from?
The last name Janißen is a common German surname, commonly found in the northern part of Germany including Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and North Rhine-Westphalia. It can also be found less frequently in western Germany including Hamburg, Bremen, Saarland, and Rhineland-Palatinate. According to a 2020 study, it ranks as the 225th most common surname in Germany and can also be found in the neighboring countries including Austria, the Netherlands, and Denmark.
The surname is thought to have originated from hired workers in the 13th century and have been widely adopted over the centuries. Janißen is typically a patronymic or descriptively derived surname, originating from the given name Jan. Jan was a very common given name among Christians during the Middle Ages. The name comes from the Hebrew name Yehohanan, which means "God is gracious."
The Janißen surname has also spread to other areas of Europe, such as the United States, Netherlands, and Sweden, but is less common in those countries. The surname is also not found in many non-European countries.
Overall, the Janißen surname is common today in northern Germany and several other countries in Europe, but less so in other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Janißen
The surname Janißen (or Janissen) is most commonly found in Germany and the Netherlands, and other regions in Europe where Germanic and Dutch influences are prevalent. It is derived from the German given name Johannes and in English is traditionally spelled Johnson. However, there are many other variations of this surname which vary from country to country and depending on the linguistic influence.
In Germany, it is often spelled Janßen or Janssen, whilst in the United States and other English-speaking countries it is often seen as Jansen. In Scandinavia, the surname is commonly seen as Jensen, while in Italy it is rendered as Gianni or Giannessi. In France, it is usually spelled as Janisson, whilst in Spain it is more commonly seen as Janiz or Sánchez.
There are a number of derivative spellings of the surname, the most notable being Janecke, Janeckelmann, Janick, Janischek, Jankisch, Jansch, Janßen, Janz, Jausch, Jauschek, Jauschuk, Jonscher, Junge, Jünge, Jünger and Jüngerich. Some of the surnames derived from Janißen include Jänicke, Jenicke, Jeniske, Janecke, Jannicken, Janneke, Jehnicke, Jensch, Jenseke,Jentsch and Jentzsch.
Overall, the various spellings and variants of the surname Janißen are a reflection of its wide geographic distribution and various linguistic influences.
Famous people with the name Janißen
- Jesper Janišen: Danish footballer who plays for Malmö FF as a defender
- Anthony Janišen: Dutch footballer who plays in FC Utrecht as a midfielder
- Mattis Janišen: German footballer who plays in SC Paderborn 07 as a defender
- Arne Janißen: German actor, most popularly known for appearing as a recurring guest star in the popular German show, “Der Tatortreiniger”
- Jakob Janißen: Danish rower from Gudme who competed in the Summer Olympics of 1948
- Heiko Janißen: German handball player who won the World Cup in 1988 and the Champions League in 1989
- Eric Janißen: Dutch speed skater who competed in the 1998 Winter Olympics and won bronze in the team pursuit event
- Jan Janißen: Dutch cyclo-cross cyclist who has competed in events internationally and was awarded the overall Cyclo-Cross World Cup title in 2003
- Tim Janißen: Belgian beach volleyball player who was part of the Silver medal-winning team at the 2009 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Stavanger
- Peggy Janißen: German diver, competing in the Summer Olympics in 1972 and winning bronze in the Women's 10m Platform