Surname Jannsen - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'J'
Jannsen: What does the surname Jannsen mean?
The last name Jannsen is a patronymic (or matronymic) surname, meaning ‘son of Jan’ or ‘daughter of Jan’. Derived from the first name Jan, it is a very old Germanic name most likely of Hebrew origin, and means ‘God is gracious’.
The name Jan is found throughout West Germanic countries. Examples include Johan in Scandinavian languages, Janos in Hungarian, and Ivan in Russian. The vowel at the beginning of the name originates from a y sound, such as Johann in German, which became Jan over time.
The surname Jannsen can be found in countries where Jan has been used as a given name. In Germany, the Netherlands, and other countries around the North Sea, it is one of the most common surnames. In the United States, it is mostly found in the Midwest and along the east coast.
Given name Jan has also been in use for centuries in Dutch speaking areas, especially in Belgium, which is reflected in the name Janssen. The ‘sen’ which replaced the ‘n’ is a Dutch version of ‘son of’. Both Jannsen and Janssen were popularized in other countries due to emigration from the Low Countries.
Therefore, the last name Jannsen and its variant Janssen, is a occupational surname referring to one’s paternal ancestors, indicating their connection to a given name derived from Hebrew, and either indicates an ancestral origin in the Netherlands, Belgium or other Germanic countries.
Order DNA origin analysisJannsen: Where does the name Jannsen come from?
The last name Jannsen is most common in Germany, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands. It is one of the most common surnames there. It is also quite popular in the United States, particularly in the Midwest and New England regions. The name is thought to be derived from the German name Johannes, meaning "God is gracious".
In the United States, some common spellings variants of Jannsen include Janssen, Janseen, Jansen, Jaansen, Jansan, Jensan, and Jannson. Records indicate that a large number of immigrants bearing the surname Jannsen arrived in the US over the past two centuries. The name is likely to have spread further with the many descendants of immigrants, originating from a variety of countries in Europe and other parts of the world.
In the United States, Jannsen is most prevalent in New York, Arkansas and Arizona. Generally, states that have high density of foreign-born and immigrant population tend to see higher occurrences of the surname Jannsen. While the majority of Jannsens in the US are of German or Dutch descent, many other nationalities are represented among those who carry the surname.
The last name Jannsen is widely distributed in today's world with several thousand people bearing the name, especially in the U.S. and Europe. It is one of the most widely used surnames with its many nationalities and variants, making it even more prevalent and widely distributed.
Variations of the surname Jannsen
Jannsen is a Dutch patronymic surname derived from the given name Jan, which is a Dutch variant of the name John. This originates from the Hebrew Yohanan meaning “God is gracious”.
Variations of the same surname include Jansen, Johnson, Janssen, Jansson, Janssens, Janses, Janson, Jans, Janse, Janz, Jansz, Janssenius, Jansema, and many more. The spelling of these variations is also based on the spoken Dutch dialects present in different geographical regions.
Among these variations, Johnson is one of the most common among those with Dutch ancestry, because the letter ‘s’ is sometimes added instead of ‘n’ when the name is Anglicized. Similarly, Jansson is a common Swedish variant of Jannsen.
Janssen has also been adopted as an independent surname in its own right. In this case, Jannsen is adopted as the base form and is altered to change the meaning. Examples of these include Vannsen (water), Lannsen (path or road), and several others.
In conclusion, Jannsen is a Dutch surname with many variations and spellings. These variations are often based on the spoken Dutch or Swedish dialects present in different geographical regions. Jannsen is also seen as an independent surname, with additional letters added to create new meanings.
Famous people with the name Jannsen
- Hugh Jackman: Academy Award nominated actor who is known for his roles in the X-Men franchise as Wolverine.
- Famke Janssen: Dutch actress who is best remembered for her role as Jean Grey/ Phoenix in the X-Men films.
- William Janssen: award-winning composer whose works range from musicals to operas to symphonies.
- Robert Janssen: German actor and director who has appeared in numerous film and television projects, particularly in his native country.
- Alice Janssen: Danish actress and model prominent in the 1970s and 1980s.
- Chris Janssen: Dutch singer, songwriter and record producer, part of the AB Music-group label.
- Sebastian Janssen: Dutch artist and sculptor whose works have been shown in Paris, Berlin, and Barcelona.
- Huub Janssen: Dutch former competitive swimmer and Olympian who competed in the Amsterdam Olympics in 1928 and won a bronze medal in the men's 200m breaststroke event.
- Arnold Janssen: a Catholic priest who founded the society of the Divine Word missioners, popularly known as the SVD.
- Johannes Janssen: German historian and theologian remembered for his book History of the German people, which is one of the fundamental works of modern German historiography.