Surname Janssen - Meaning and Origin

Janssen: A Patronymic Legacy Etched in Dutch Roots and Enriched by Cultural Mergers – A Testimony from My iGENEA DNA Test

Intrigued by uncovering my cultural and historical narrative, I underwent the iGENEA DNA test and unbolted a trove of information about my Dutch heritage. Primarily, I discovered intriguing facts around the origin and historical journey of my surname, Janssen, which interwove various cultural influences, regional migrations, and social transformations.

J. Janssen

Janssen: What does the surname Janssen mean?

The surname Janssen is derived from the popular Dutch given name, Jan, which means ‘God is gracious'. It’s believed that the surname originated in Holland or Flanders, and was originally an occupational surname for someone who worked as an innkeeper, where Jans was a reference to Jan and ‘-sen’ indicating that the individual was the son of the innkeeper. Over time, the 's' in Janssen changed to an 'en' to form the modern surname.

The Janssen name is one of the top ten most popular surnames in Netherlands and is also popular in Suriname and Indonesia due to Dutch colonisation. It is also found in other countries including England, France, Belgium, Germany, and the United States, with Janssens being the more common spelling in Germany and Belgium.

The motto associated with the Janssen family is “Dieren doorzet” which translates to “Continue Forward”. This motto, which is believed to have been coined sometime in the early to mid-17th century, speaks to the ambition of the Janssen family and encourages them to persevere and strive for more.

In summary, the surname Janssen is one of the most common Dutch surnames, derived from the popular given name Jan. Its associated motto Dieren doorzet speaks to the ambition of the Janssen family and encourages them to “continue forward”.

Janssen: Where does the name Janssen come from?

The last name Janssen is most common in the Netherlands, where it is the sixth most common name. It is believed to be derived from the name Jan, and was traditionally a patronymic name meaning "son of Jan". It is also common in Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Luxembourg, as well as Belgium. In France, Janssen is a very rare name, and in the United States, it is quite rare. However, the Janssen surname does appear in records in the United States dating back to the 1700s.

Janssen families may have originally come from various places throughout Europe, including the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. Today, they can be found scattered throughout more than 30 countries, often living in many cities as diaspora populations.

In recent years, emigrated Janssen families can be found in many countries around the world, including Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and even China. It is likely that the Janssen name will become increasingly common in years to come, as more families move around the world and populate new countries.

Variations of the surname Janssen

The surname Janssen is an old Dutch Patronymic surname that originated in the Netherlands and is also popular in Flanders and Germany. It is derived from the given name Jan, which is a short form of Johannes, meaning "Yahweh is gracious". Variants of Janssen include Jansen, Jans, Jansz, Janszoon, Jantes, Jansma, Jansohn, Janssohn, Jansohn, Jansohnsen, Jansz and Janssenmeier.

The spelling variants of Janssen include Jansen, Jans, Jansz and Janszoon. The Janssen suffix is also sometimes seen as Jansohn, Janssohn, and Jansohnsen.

The surname can also be spelled in different ways depending on the language. In German, the surname is written as Jansen and Janzen, while in Dutch it is usually written as Janssen or Jansma.

The surname can also vary in different countries in Europe. For example, in Flanders it is generally seen as Janssen, Jansz, Janszoon or Jansohnsen.

In the United States, the spelling Janssen is quite common, and in Canada and Australia, it usually becomes Jansen or Jansz.

In Scotland, Ireland and England the variants Janszoon and Jansohnsen are used. There are also rare spellings of the surname, such as Jants or Jantsen.

Regardless of the variation, all of these surnames share the same origin, as they are all derived from the given name Jan or Johannes.

Famous people with the name Janssen

• Famke Janssen: Dutch actress, Famous for her role in the X-Men films, Taken, and the TV series Hemlock Grove.
• Chris Janssen: Dutch actor, best known for his role in the TV show Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden.
• Jeroen Janssen: Dutch racing driver, winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2005.
• Jamie Janssen: Canadian runner, best known for his victory in the 1997 Canadian Cross Country championship.
• Joe Janssen: American basketball player, played for the University of Michigan and is currently playing professionally in Europe.
• Jos Janssen: Dutch football manager and former player, currently manager of Vijverberg in the Dutch second division.
• Robbin Janssen: Dutch artist, renowned for his photography and artwork focused on urban decay and dereliction.
• Hans Janssen: Dutch astronomer, known for inventing the first temperature-controlled scientific instrument.
• Thomas Janssen: Dutch comedian and actor, well-known for his roles on comedy shows such as Wie is de Mol? and De Lama's.

Other surnames

JanssJanssensJansson