Surname Janisch - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'J'
Janisch: What does the surname Janisch mean?
The last name Janisch is of German origin and is derived from the given name Jan. Janis features in many names in German-speaking countries and is derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning ‘God is gracious’. Janisch is a hereditary surname, which means that it was passed down from generation to generation within a family.
The surname is considered both occupational, referring to a craftsman or merchant of wool and fur, and patronymic, derived from the father’s given name. As a patronymic surname connected to the given name Jan, Janisch likely originated as a way for families to differentiate between different branches of a larger family, such as distant cousins or those descended from different grandparents.
The earliest known example of Janisch as an independent surname appears in the 13th century in the German region Silesia, where a certain Conrad Janisch was mentioned as a witness in a court dispute in the city of Liegnitz. Today, the surname can still be found primarily in the regions of Germany, Poland, and Austria.
In addition to its German roots, the surname Janisch has spread around the world to many countries, such as the United States, as a result of emigration. Janisch is a unique name that reflects both European and American heritages, as it has become an important part of the history of many families.
Order DNA origin analysisJanisch: Where does the name Janisch come from?
The last name Janisch is most commonly found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland today. This surname is thought to be derived from the Hebrew name Jan or Johan, meaning “God is gracious”. Its most popular geographic spread is in the German states of Bavaria, Rhineland-Palatinate, and North Rhine-Westphalia. These states form the historical region of Germany known as the Rhineland.
Janisch is also found in many other countries with a German-speaking population. This includes regions of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire such as the Czech Republic and Hungary. Additionally, it has spread to countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, with the first name Janisch being found as early as the 19th century.
Janisch is a fairly uncommon name and is thought to have evolved from a shortened version of a longer, more complicated name. In the past, the name could be Anglicised as Johnson or Jensen, although this is much less common today.
Tracing the origins of the Janisch name can provide insights into one’s ancestry and family history. Through researching records and archives, one can easily discover where their ancestors originated and learn more about where the name has spread. This information can be used to build up a fuller picture of a particular family’s history.
Variations of the surname Janisch
Janisch is a German surname, whose variations, spellings and surnames of the same origin vary among countries.
The variation of Janisch in other German speaking countries includes Yanish, Janiske, Yaneish, Yannish, Jannich, Jannis and Yannish.
In Czech, Janisch is known as Janiš. In Russia, it is Yanische, Janyš and Yanishević.
In Croatia, it is Janišić, in Slovakia it takes the form of Janišin, Janišík and Janiška. In Romania, it is Ianiș, in Belgium Janisse and in Hungary Janiss.
The common variants and spellings of the family name which are not related to its original German origin are Janice, Janes, Jensch, Gesnes, Janecski, Janous and Janusch.
The variants of Janisch as derived from other languages include in Icelandic, Jónsson, Jansk in Dutch and Janssen in Afrikaans.
In the UK, the family name appears as Janes, Jennings, Yannes and Jeanes.
The surname Janisch is derived from a personal name Jan, which is a variation of the Old German, Johanns. It is also thought to derive from the word jan, meaning ‘goose’ in some German dialects.
Famous people with the name Janisch
- Scott Janisch, professional ice hockey player for the Spokane Chiefs in the Western Hockey League.
- Victoria Janisch, Director of the National Audubon Society.
- Stephanie Janisch, a professional inline skater and speed skate coach.
- Leon Janisch, a professional water polo player for Germany Water Polo Team.
- Franz Janisch, a former Austrian and German soccer player.
- Elisabeth Janisch, a professional golfer.
- Andreas Janisch, a professional snowboarder who is known as “The King of the Rails” in the snowboard community.
- Brad Janisch, a professional drummer who has worked with top artists such as Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and Jason Mraz.
- Will Janisch, a professional basketball player in the Basketball Bundesliga in Germany.
- Inge Janisch, a television actress who is best known for her role in the German drama series Unter Uns.