Surname Johe - Meaning and Origin
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Johe: What does the surname Johe mean?
The last name Johe is primarily found in Southwest Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland. It is a common Germanic, Jewish, and Yiddish last name, and is an occupational name derived from the Middle High German word "joch" meaning "low man" or "servant." It is likely that those with this name were servants or menials.
The English version of the name, Joe or Joh, is comparatively rare, as well as other versions such as Joen, Joens, Johs, and Johann. The name is often found in combination with various prefixes such as Von Johen, Von Joher, and Von Johern.
The last name Johe can be found in many Jewish families as a patronymic and, as such, it is likely that many of those with this last name are of Jewish descent. In some cases, it may be indicative of a generational surname, where an individual chooses to keep their grandfather's personal or given name as their family name.
In recent years, the traditional spelling of this last name has changed as it is used more often in the anglicized form of Joe or Joh. Nevertheless, this last name is still often associated with its roots in Middle High German servitude and its prevalence among many Jewish families.
Order DNA origin analysisJohe: Where does the name Johe come from?
The last name Johe is most commonly found in Germany. It is found in the German states of Niedersachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Sachsen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Thuringen, Bavaria, and Hessen, as well as other states. The name is found mostly in regions close to the border with Austria, as well as in the northernmost parts of the country.
The name is interesting as it is an old German word. The name Johe is derived from the ancient Germanic root "johaiwa" meaning “youth”, and it is also related to the ancient Germanic war goddess "Johanna". In the Middle Ages, the name was likely used as a nickname for a young or brave warrior.
Today the name is not particularly common, but it is still used and passed down in some parts of Germany. It is not common to other countries, although there is a version of the name which is seen in the Netherlands which is spelled “Johe” or “Johen”.
Overall, the last name Johe is most commonly found in Germany and in some of the surrounding parts of Europe. It is an old name, likely from the days of tribal warfare, but it is still in use today.
Variations of the surname Johe
The surname Johe is of German origin, and can also be written as: Joh, Johe, Johes, Johen, Johens, and Johenes. The spelling variants vary depending on the country or language they are used in, and they are also found in France, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
The variant spellings of Johe include Joh, Johes, Johen, Johens, Johene, and Johenes. In Austria, the name is often spelled Joh, while the French variants include Jouhe and Jouhes. In Switzerland, the name can be found spelled as Johe or Johes, while other common spellings are Jouhe and Jouhes.
A few other variant spellings of Johe include: Jogh, Jog, Jogge, Juha, Jouhae. Jough, and Johan. In Sweden and Finland, the surname is commonly spelled as Jöh. In the Netherlands, it is spelled Joen or Johen.
In addition, some of the surnames associated with Johe include: Jeh, Juh, Juhl, Juul, and Joer.
Overall, the surname Johe and its variant spellings and surnames can be found throughout many countries in Europe, and often times, its spelling will vary depending on the region.
Famous people with the name Johe
- Horst Johe (1910-1987), Nazi who posed as a German default to infiltrate Britain.
- Gertrud Johe (born 1906), German composer.
- Inge Johe (born 1926), German actress.
- Harald Johe (1914-2001), German film actor and director.
- Anna Johe (1877-1944), German architect.
- Dr. Joseph Johe (born 1957), American cardiovascular surgeon.
- Guy Johe (born 1956), District Court Judge of Florida.
- Reinhold Johe (1889-1974), author, journalist and theatre agent in North East Germany.
- Pamela Johe (1947-2014), American theatre artist and cancer activist.
- Karen Johe (1940-2014), American journalist and author.
- Norbert Johe (1920-1993), German jurist.
- Jutta Johe (born 1945), German actress.
- Matthias Johe (born 1971), German videographer and film artist.
- Kurt Johe (1908-1970), Swiss architect and planner.
- Vic Johe (1933-2014), American farmer and businessman.
- Ernst Johe (1914-1988), German organist and composer.
- Mark Johe, animator for The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
- Randy Johe (born ∼1960), co-founder of Crossroads Missions International.
- Abigail Johe, German rapper.
- Chestina Johe, USA amateur boxer.