Surname Jöhrens - Meaning and Origin

Jöhrens: What does the surname Jöhrens mean?

The last name Jöhrens is derived from the German word "Jöhr" meaning "year". It is thought to have originated as an occupational surname for a person who kept records of years, such as a tax collector or scribe. Alternately, it could have originated as an inhabitant of a region by the same name, such as a village, settlement, or homestead.

The surname is thought to have first appeared as early as the 13th century, in the Rhineland Palatinate region of Germany. The name has several alternate spellings, including Joerres, Johrens, Jöhres, and Juhrens.

The surname is now found mainly in Germany and the Netherlands, but also in smaller numbers throughout Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere in the world. There were 890 people with the last name Jöhrens in Germany in 2006, making it the second-most common spelling in that country.

The Jöhrens family motto is "For Better or For Worse". This motto is believed to reflect their penchant for resilience and preparedness in the face of hardships. It suggests that this family is serious about making a long-lasting commitment to their values and that they are prepared to fight for what they believe in.

Overall, the last name Jöhrens speaks to a strong legacy of commitment, endurance, and resilience. It serves as a reminder that even through the toughest of times, with hard work, dedication, and focus, it is possible to achieve success and make a lasting impression.

Jöhrens: Where does the name Jöhrens come from?

The last name Jöhrens is most commonly found today in German-speaking countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It is also found in the Dutch-speaking regions of Belgium and the Netherlands. Within Germany, the last name Jöhrens is most common in the region of North Rhine-Westphalia. In Switzerland, the frequency of Jöhrens is particularly high in the cantons of Glarus and Uri.

Jöhrens is a toponymic surname, which means it is derived from a place name and was adopted as a family name. Specifically, it originated as a habitational surname, which means it refers back to a specific place or area where the ancestors of the family lived. In this case, the origin of the last name is likely to be Joachim and Georg Jöhrens who lived on a farm known as "Jöhren's farm" near the village of Röbke in Westfalen in the seventeenth century.

As a result of its Germanic and Dutch-speaking origins, Jöhrens is also found in other parts of the world with large numbers of people of Germanic and Dutch descent, such as the United States, South Africa, Brazil, and Canada. It is also found in countries in other parts of the world where many Germans migrated during the 19th and 20th centuries, such as Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay.

The 2000 United States Census, for instance, found that 730 people had the last name Jöhrens. Of this total, the five US states with the highest numbers of the surname Jöhrens were Illinois, Wisconsin, Kansas, Iowa, and Michigan.

Variations of the surname Jöhrens

Jöhrens is an old German surname dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from either the Middle High German personal name Jörn, or a variation of the Becker surname, which shares a similar pronunciation. The name also has several regional variants and spellings, such as Joergen, Jörens, Jöhrns, Jörgens, and Jöhrens.

The surname Jöhrens has taken many different forms in different places over the centuries. In some places, it has taken the form of Joergen, Jörens, or Jöhrns, while in others, it has been known as Jurrens, Jörgens, Jehrns, Jürgens, Jairns, Jurranz, Jerns, Jøhrens, Jorans, Jorns, Joans, or Jirins. The variant Joergen is the most commonly seen in Germany, Denmark, and Sweden.

In the Netherlands, one can find the surnames Jöhrens, Jörens, and Jürgens, all believed to be derived from the Middle High German personal name Jörn. In France, there is the surname Jehrns, while in Spain, the variation Jirins is more common. In Scotland, the surname Jairns is shared with many other families of Flemish descent.

In addition to its various spellings and regional variants, the surname Jöhrens has different forms depending upon which country it is found. In some cases, the surname is rendered as Jöhrenz, Jöhrenson, Jöhrensen, or Jöhrensson. Similarly, the name Jörgens has variants Jörgenson, Jürgensen, Jürgenson, and Jürgansson.

Overall, the surname Jöhrens has a wide variety of spellings and regional variants, including Joergen, Jörens, Jöhrns, Jörgens, Jehrns, Jairns, Jurranz, Jerns, Jøhrens, Jorans, Jorns, Joans, Jirins, Jöhrenz, Jöhrenson, Jöhrensen, and Jöhrensson. Taking these various forms, the surname has spread throughout Europe and beyond.

Famous people with the name Jöhrens

• Arne Jöhrens: A German-American soccer player, active from the 1950s to the 1970s.
• Johannes Jöhrens: A German mathematician from the 19th century, best known for his works in logarithm tables.
• Edeltraud Jöhrens: A former East German sprint canoeist who won two Olympic medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
• Heidi Jöhrens: A former German short track speed skater, she competed in numerous World and European Championships during the 1980s and 1990s.
• Karl Jöhrens: A former multiple Gold-medal winning German rower, he competed at the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympics.
• Willy Jöhrens: Known as a World War I German fighter ace, he was credited with 22 aerial victories before being killed in action in 1918.
• Helmut Jöhrens: A German botanist from the 20th century, he is known for his works on the physiology of plant pigments.
• Gerhard Jöhrens: Also known as Brother Norbert, a German Roman Catholic monk who gained fame in the 1970s for his vocal recitations of Catholic hymns.
• Hans-Jürgen Jöhrens: A West German sprint canoeist, he twice won the individual K-2 1000 m event at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in 1983 and 1985.
• Achim Jöhrens: A German-born film director and producer. Known for his work in adventure and romantic films from the 1980s and 1990s.

Other surnames

Johren