Surname Jankowfsky - Meaning and Origin

Jankowfsky: What does the surname Jankowfsky mean?

The last name Jankowfsky is derived from the Czech and Slovak regions. It can be broken down into two parts – ‘Janko’ and ‘wfsky’. ‘Janko’ is a personal name and ‘wfsky’ is a suffix that refers to the father of the bearer of the name – literally “son of Janko”.

It is an occupational surname, meaning ‘farmer’ or ‘farmer’s son’ and traditionally would have given insight into the family’s occupation. This type of last name is particularly common in Eastern European countries.

Jankowfsky is also occasionally spelled with a ‘v’ between the ‘k’ and ‘w’: ‘Jankovfsky’. In addition, this can sometimes be written as ‘Jankowski’. These spellings are thought to be more Polish in nature.

The Jankowfsky family likely originated from a small village near the borders of Slovakia or the Czech Republic, having settled in the region hundreds of years ago. They have a long and deep history in Eastern Europe, and remain closely associated with this part of the world.

Jankowfsky: Where does the name Jankowfsky come from?

The last name Jankowfsky is most common today in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Belarus.

The Czech Republic is a nation in Eastern Europe and the Czech language is closely related to Slovak and Polish. Jankowfsky is one of the most common surnames in the Czech Republic, with 16,588 people bearing the name according to the Czech Population and Housing Census of 2011.

Poland, another nation in Eastern Europe, also has a large population of people bearing the surname. In the Institute of Statistics report of 2009, the surname was ranked 75th among the most common last names in Poland.

The other country in which Jankowfsky is most common is Belarus. In the Republic of Belarus Census of 2009, a total of 24,422 people had the surname.

The surname is not widely found outside of Eastern Europe, but occasionally appears in other countries. There have been a few reports of individuals bearing the name in the United States. According to the United States Social Security Administration, there were 47 people living in the United States with the surname Jankowfsky in 2014.

Overall, the surname Jankowfsky is most prevalent in the Eastern European countries of the Czech Republic, Poland, and Belarus. Though rare, it has been reported in other countries as well.

Variations of the surname Jankowfsky

Jankowfsky is a surname of Polish origin, typically spelled “Jankowfsky”. However, there are several alternate spellings and variant forms of the name, including Jankowski, Yankovskoy, Yanikovsky, and Yankovsky.

Jankowski is the most common variant of Jankowfsky and is the form most used outside of Poland. This variant is most often seen in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia. The two related spellings, Jankowski and Jankovski, are both the same origin as the original Jankowfsky.

Yankovsky and Yankovskoy are two other Russian variant forms of the name. These spelling variants were created by taking the original Jankowfsky and adding variants of the Russian word for “janko,” which is “yanko.”

The final variant of Jankowfsky is Yanikovsky. This variant is believed to be a hybrid form of the original Jankowfsky created when the Russian word “yanik,” meaning “little man,” was added to the original.

Although there are several spellings of the surname Jankowfsky, all forms of the name are derived from the same origin and are interchangeable. Therefore, it is possible to trace the family line back to a single common ancestor.

Famous people with the name Jankowfsky

• Milla Jankowfsky: Milla Jankowfsky is a Russian-born American film director, writer, and modern dance choreographer known for her films that explore the struggles of femininity.
• Kashka Jankowfsky: Kashka Jankowfsky is a Canadian musician and songwriter, best known for her top 10 hit 1988 single “Everlasting Love”.
• Jakub Jankowfsky: Jakub Jankowfsky is a Czech ice hockey goaltender currently playing for HC Oceláři Třinec.
• Ivan Jankowfsky: Ivan Jankowfsky is a Czech professional ice hockey player who played for the Phoenix Coyotes and Dallas Stars in the NHL during the 2000s.
• Sarah Jankowfsky: Sarah Jankowfsky is a French actress known for her roles in films such as The Science of Sleep and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.
• Ezra Jankowfsky: Ezra Jankowfsky is a British author and playwright, best known for his acclaimed novel The Invention of Solitude and plays such as The Rendez-vous.
• Gregor Jankowfsky: Gregor Jankowfsky is a Slovak poet and playwright whose works have been performed in many theaters in Europe and around the world.
• Meistu Jankowfsky: Meistu Jankowfsky is an Estonian chess grandmaster and former world champion.
• Pavla Jankowfsky: Pavla Jankowfsky is a Czech tennis player who had a career-high singles ranking of World No. 45 in 1999.
• Adam Jankowfsky: Adam Jankowfsky is an American musician and electronic music composer, best known for his contributions to the German electro/dance collective, Kraftwerk.

Other surnames

Jankowfski