Surname Jannes - Meaning and Origin
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Jannes: What does the surname Jannes mean?
The last name Jannes is derived from the biblical figure Jannes, who is mentioned multiple times in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. The name Jannes has been interpreted as meaning “the Lord answers” or “God will enlighten”.
The spelling of the surname has changed over time with many variations including Janes, Janis, Janas, Janous, Jannas, Jannous, Jannis, Yannes, and more. The name Jannes is most commonly found in families of Jewish, Orthodox Christian, and Arab background.
Jannes is believed to be of both Hebrew and German origin. In Hebrew, the name is derived from “yannai” which is a form of “yenah”—the Hebrew word for “to answer”, signifying God's answer or His enlightening of believers. Meanwhile, in German, it is derived from the medieval given name ‘Jan’.
Jannes is often associated with strength, courage, and loyalty. In Judaism, it is thought of as an indicator of spiritual and moral strength and refers to a person who follows God's commandments seeking good deeds and fighting evil. In Christianity, the name is associated with faith and hope in the eventual soul-salvation and the courage to resist temptation. In Greek mythology, the name is associated with Janus’ gate-keeping duty where he opens and closes a portal to the world of the dead.
The last name Jannes is a meaningful and timeless name that has been passed down for generations. To those who bear it, it is an indicator of strength, hope, faith, loyalty, and moral courage.
Order DNA origin analysisJannes: Where does the name Jannes come from?
The last name Jannes is most commonly found in Dutch-speaking countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and some parts of northern France. In Germany, the spelling is often Janßen.
It is estimated that there are as many as 12,000 people with the surname Jannes throughout Europe today. The Netherlands has the highest population with roughly 5,000 bearing this surname. In Belgium, the name is still quite common in certain parts of the country, including Antwerp, Brussels, and certain regions in Flanders.
Within the Netherlands, the large cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht have a higher concentration of Janneses. In Germany, the name is also found in the major cities, especially those bordering the Netherlands such as Hanover and Bremen.
In the United States, the name Jannes and its variations are quite rare. However, the last name is still present in some of the major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. It is also relatively common in certain Dutch immigrant communities in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
Overall, the surname Jannes is still strong in the Netherlands, Belgium, and certain parts of Germany. It is relatively rare in the United States, but does still persist in some areas with strong Dutch connections.
Variations of the surname Jannes
Jannes is a surname with many variants, spellings and surnames deriving from the same origin. The most common alternate spellings include Janns, Jenes, Jennes, Janess, Jannez, Jeanes, Jeans and Jannas. Variations of the surname Jannes range geographically, but it is most commonly found in Scandinavian countries such as Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
The surname Jannes is derived from the ancient Norse personal name "Jónn" or in Latin, Johannes, which means "God is gracious". It is thought that the name was brought to Scandinavia in the 5th or 6th century AD, although its exact origin is unknown.
The various variants of the name Jannes include Jens, Jenso, Janso, Janto, Jenski, Janko, and Jauncey. In Germany the surname is found as Janssen, Jans, Janssen, Jancke, Janzen, Janson, Jance and Jancken. In the Netherlands it is often spelled Jans, Jansen, Jensema, Jansema, and Jansma.
In the United States, the surname Jannes can often be found under alternative spellings such as Janes, Janie, and Janouse. The French variants of the name include Janot, Jeannin, Jeanville, Janin and Jeanin.
Popular Slovakian and Czech versions of the name include Janik, Janis, Janek, Janiš, Janoš and Jančík. Other countries such as Hungary, Poland, and Russia also have their own variation of the surname.
The Jannes surname is still found throughout many countries today and can be encountered under many spelling variants. Its diverse heritage tells of the far-reaching travels made by the surname's original bearers.
Famous people with the name Jannes
- Jason Jannes: a professional American soccer player who played for several US clubs in the Major Soccer League and A-League.
- Tessa Jannes: a professional Dutch sailor who has competed in the Olympic Games.
- Vince Jannes: an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known for the 2016 hit single “Almost Anything”.
- Paul Jannes: a British mathematics professor who has published research on functional analysis.
- Eugene Jannes: a Belgian professional wrestler, world champion in WXW from 1947 to 1955.
- Cristina Jannes: a Spanish-American television and film actress, best known for her roles in shows like “Criminal Minds”, “NCIS: Los Angeles”, and “Mental”.
- Robert Jannes: a French composer of classical music, known for works such as his partitas for flute and strings.
- Sam Jannes: an Australian lawyer and entrepreneur, the founder of a popular Australian-based digital marketing firm, Digi Marketing.
- Caroline Jannes: a French fashion designer, best known for her iconic dresses and evening gowns.
- John Jannes: an American photographer and visual artist, whose series of photographs of the animals of the jungle won him several prestigious awards.