Surname Jankowski - Meaning and Origin

Unravelling Ancestral Threads: Discovering the Jankowski Heritage through iGENEA's DNA Analysis

A journey was initiated when I decided to take the DNA analysis test at iGENEA. The results unravelled a rich tapestry of the past laden with geographical, sociocultural contexts and survival tales of my ancestors. It revealed the Polish and possible Kashubian origins of my last name, Jankowski, redefining my understanding of family, roots, and identity.

S. Jankowski

Jankowski: What does the surname Jankowski mean?

The last name Jankowski is derived from the Polish language and is a patronymic surname meaning “son of Jan” or “Janko’s son.” This surname is most commonly found among the Polish population in the US, as well as certain parts of Europe, such as Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus. It is also a common name among African-Americans due to the slave trade from Poland during the 1800s, likely changing along the way to form today’s Jankowski spelling.

The surname Jankowski can be found across various cultures, and it is usually connected to the first name Jan. It’s been estimated that there are approximately 14,000 Jankowski surnames spread across the world, with approximately 6,500 of those being within the United States. The Jankowski family name can most commonly be traced to the region of Silesia in Poland which is a historical region located in southeast of the country.

Being a patronymic surname, it’s often been used interchangeably with variations such as Yankowski, Jankowska, Jankowski, and Yankowsky. The surname Jankowski most likely originates from the ancient Polish version of the first name Jan, which is traditionally linked to specific characteristics. Some such traits related to Jan includes intelligence, creativity, dedication, and a strong sense of family and tradition.

Jankowski: Where does the name Jankowski come from?

The last name Jankowski is most commonly associated with people of Polish descent. It is one of the most significant surnames in Poland and is often considered one of the top ten surnames in the country. The name is also widespread in other Eastern European countries, such as Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania.

Jankowski is also found in other countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and the U.K. Wherever Polish immigrants have settled, the Jankowski surname spread. As a result, people of different nationalities can be found with the distinctive name.

In the US, the name is especially prominent in states populated by Polish immigrants, such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Illinois. It is also common in cities such as New York City, Chicago, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. In Canada, the largest concentration of Jankowskis can be found in Ontario and Alberta.

The Jankowski surname is still fairly common today, and anyone looking for Jankowskis will likely be able to find large communities of people with the name scattered throughout the world.

Variations of the surname Jankowski

The surname Jankowski is of Polish origin and has been anglicized in the United States since the late 19th century. It is a patronymic name meaning “son of Jan”, with Jan traditionally being a popular first name in Poland.

Variants of Jankowski include Janek, Janke, Jancoski, and Janik. Additionally, surnames like Janovsky, Jankovic, Jancowski, and Janouski are also seen as variants.

Anglicized spellings of Jankowski include Jankowsky, Jankowske, and Jankuski.

Common surnames of similar origin are Yanke, Yanko, and Yankowski.

In some instances, various surnames of similar origin have been conflated with Jankowski. This includes the Czech surname Jancek and the Ukrainian surname Yanchyk, both of which are derived from the Slavic word for “John” or “Jan”, although none are directly related to Jankowski.

In Poland, the Jankowski surname has also been used interchangeably with the surname 'Kowalewski', due to the similarity in sound between the two surnames. As such, there are many individuals with the surname Jankowski who are descended from the Kowalewski family.

Finally, Jankowski is sometimes incorrectly spelled as "Jankiowski". While both surnames are Polish in origin and have the same meaning, they are unrelated.

Famous people with the name Jankowski

• Mariusz Jankowski: a Polish footballer who is currently signed with Polish club Górnik Zabrze.
• Cassie Jankowski: an American singer and songwriter based in Nashville.
• Roman Jankowski: a physicist and astrophysicist who specializes in cosmology.
• Mark Jankowski: a Canadian professional ice hockey player and currently plays for the Calgary Flames.
• Adam Jankowski: a Polish voice actor who is widely recognized for his work in television, film and video games.
• William Jankowski: an American lawyer and former New Jersey State Senator.
• Conrad Jankowski: an American actor and playwright who appeared in many Broadway plays and musicals in the middle part of the 20th century.
• Jessica Jankowski: an American artist who specializes in portraiture and figurative works.
• Patrycja Jankowski: a Polish figure skater who competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
• Stanislaw Jankowski: a Polish chess champion who is also known as the “Honorary Master of Sports” by the Polish Chess Federation.
• Piotr Jankowski: a Polish art director, costume designer and visual effects supervisor.
• Michael Jankowski: a Polish-American software engineer, web designer, and entrepreneur. He is also a co-founder of a technology startup.
• Krzysztof Jankowski: a Polish actor, director and theater producer best known for his performances in “Man About Town” and “Along Comes Love”.
• Pietr Jankowski: a Polish theater director and producer who is known for his productions, “The Imaginary Invalid” and “Crime and Punishment”.
• Piotr Jankowski: a Polish cinematographer who worked on films such as “Direct” and “The Debt”.

Other surnames

JankowskaJankowskasJankowskeJankowskyJankowskyj