Surname Jannings - Meaning and Origin

Jannings: What does the surname Jannings mean?

The last name Jannings is most likely of Scandinavian or German origin and is a variant of 'JAN' which is derived from the Hebrew name 'John'. It was bestowed upon people who had been born on John the Baptist's feast day or had characteristics similar to John himself. As a patronymic surname, Jannings traditionally indicated 'son of Jan', suggesting the name carried on through successive generations.

People known to bear the name have not only hailed from Germany, but also Sweden, Norway, and Finland. The name was later adopted by English-speaking families from the seventeenth century onward when they began doing business with those from across the pond.

Jannings has become a popular surname in several countries, as evidenced by its strong presence on ancestry genealogies worldwide. It is an ideal surname to represent strength and resilience. Many people named Jannings have gone on to achieve noteworthy feats, from Hollywood actor Emil Jannings to the novelist James Jannings.

The name Jannings is a proud symbol of a family’s unique, own trademark. It marks the human ties that bind it together and those that have come before it. Its proud bearer carries with it a sense of history and pride that will no doubt continue to ring throughout the generations.

Jannings: Where does the name Jannings come from?

The last name Jannings is most commonly found in Germany today. It is a German origin surname, and is most commonly found in places such as Berlin and Hamburg. The name Jannings is derived from the Latin name ‘Januarius,’ which means ‘The Month of January.’ It has multiple variations, such as Jannissen, Janning, and Janninger. The surname is believed to have originated in Northern Germany during the 11th and 12th centuries, but has since spread across the world. The earliest known instance of the name is from ‘Janning’ of Prague in 1290.

In Germany today, the surname Jannings remains relatively common. It is more popular in the northern half of the country, and is a top-1000 surname in many German-speaking countries. This includes places like Austria, where the name ranked 282 in 2018, and Luxembourg, where it ranked 581st in 2017. The name even appears in the United States, where it ranked 11,882 in 2019.

Today, the name Jannings is often associated with the award-winning German actor Emil Jannings, who was the first person to ever receive an Oscar in 1929. He later won an honorary Academy Award in 1940. Thanks to his success, the name Jannings remains a name of significance in the entertainment industry.

Variations of the surname Jannings

The surname Jannings is a Germanic name derived from the personal name Jan. The name is found primarily in Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Variants of Jannings include Janning, Jansing, Janis, Jaensch, Jentsch, Jancke, Jinnings, and Jennings.

The Dutch spelling is Janssen and the Scandinavian spelling is Jansson. In Germany, the single-N version of the name is Janning, but the double-N version is Jannings. In other parts of Europe, it is also seen as Janes, Janci, Janicz, Jancsó, Janicot, Janich, and Janich.

In other parts of Europe and North America, the surname Jannings has also evolved to additional names such as Janise, Janesch, Janec, Janesch, Janeski, Janousek, Janusek,Janus, Jancsy, Jancso, Jancsy, Jancik, and Janczille.

The surname Jannings is associated with several notable people including British film director and composer Oskar Jannings, German actor and director Emil Jannings and his son German director and Academy Award-winning cinematographer Christian Jannings. Other famous people associated with the Jannings surname are American actor Kirk Jannings, American-Canadian character actor Anthony Jannings and American sportswriter Bill Jannings.

Famous people with the name Jannings

• Emil Jannings: Emil was a German actor and the first person to win an Oscar when he won best actor in a leading role for The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh in 1929.
• Marlene Jannings: Marlene was Emil's daughter and a German film actress in the 1940s.
• John Jannings: John is an American actor known for his roles in films such as The Count of Monte Cristo and The Departed as well as his appearances on television's Law & Order.
• Andrew Jannings: Andrew is an American film and television director, producer, and writer, known for directing films such as The Bachelor Party and television series The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
• Jack Jannings: Jack is an American actor best known for his role in the 1975 horror classic Roberta.
• Harry Jannings: Harry is an English actor known for his roles in films such as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as well as television shows such as Red Dwarf.
• Rona Jannings: Rona is a Danish singer, songwriter, and actress known for her roles in films such as My Sister My Love, Last Days of Summer, and The King of Kazoo.
• Sandra Jannings: Sandra is an American musician with roots in jazz, classical, country, and bluegrass, known for her time as the lead singer of the bluegrass group The Good Ol' Girls.
• Gustav Jannings: Gustav is a Swiss actor, writer, and director known for his work on stage as an actor and directing plays such as The Master of Paris and You Will Live.
• Ben Jannings: Ben is an Australian actor, writer, and producer known for his roles in films such as Babe and The Ruby Dawn as well as producing the web series We Should Be Heroes.

Other surnames

Janning