Surname Janowicz - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'J'
Janowicz: What does the surname Janowicz mean?
The last name Janowicz is one of the many noble families of medieval Europe. It is of Polish origin, and has a strong presence in Polish areas of the world. The name is derived from the Latin word Janus, which means “of Janus.” Janus is a mythological figure of Rome, representing the opening and closing of the gate of Heaven. In legend it was believed that Janus could see both the past and future.
The Janowicz family is one of the oldest and most distinguished Polish families, a sign of years of privilege and power. The family tree can be traced to 1750. The Janowicz family often intermarried with other royal dynasties in order to increase their influence, helping to spread their name throughout Europe.
Today, the Janowicz family is still well respected in Poland, and the name is also common in other Polish communities around the world. The name symbolizes the proud fullness and strength of the Polish heritage. Although the family may have fallen to some degree in the rank of nobles, the honour of the name remains intact.
Order DNA origin analysisJanowicz: Where does the name Janowicz come from?
The last name Janowicz is most commonly found in the countries of Poland, Belarus, and Ukraine. Some people with the surname Janowicz have also made their way to the United States.
In Poland, Janowicz is the 69th most popular last name, with approximately 17 174 people in the country sharing it. This figure reflects how the name Janowicz is also a popular surname in the Jewish population in Poland. In Belarus the surname Janowicz is the 5th most popular, accounting for approximately 22 400 people.
In Ukraine, Janowicz is the 50th most popular name with over 20 500 people with the surname there. The United States also has Janowicz's, with an estimated 2 544 people with the last name living in America. This decrease in numbers is likely due to Americanized versions of Janowicz, such as Johnson or Jankowski.
Overall, Janowicz is most common in countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Most people with the Janowicz surname are descendants of Slavic settlers from nations in this region. Janowicz is quickly becoming more prominent in other parts of the world, as more people with the surname make their way to other continents.
Variations of the surname Janowicz
The Janowicz surname is an interesting one that has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These include Yanowicz, Yanovitsky, Yanovice, Janovitch, Yonovitsky, Yanyovitsky, Yanyovich, Yanish, Yanishok, Yanovic, Yenyovality, Yanovits and Janovits.
The surname Janowicz is derived from the Polish masculine given name Jan, which, in turn, is believed to have originated with Hebrew Yochanan meaning ‘God is gracious’. Variants of the surname appeared in the 17th century, when families with the same last name settled in different parts of Eastern Europe, such as Poland, Lithuania, and Belarus.
The Janowicz surname is most common in Poland and the countries of Eastern Europe. It is not uncommon to find the surname spelled differently in different countries, however, such as Yanovich in Belarus and Yonovitsky in Lithuania.
In the United States, immigrants who have the Janowicz surname can be found in the Eastern, Midwest, and Southwest regions. This surname is also not unusual in England and Canada.
In addition to the variants of the Janowicz surname, it is also seen that some families have adopted surnames that are similar but distinct from the original Janowicz. For example, some families have adopted Yanouski, Yaresko, Yarko, and Yarmus as their surnames.
The various variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Janowicz illustrate how families can go in different directions while still retaining their shared surname. It’s interesting to see how families separate and how the same surname can appear in different parts of the world.
Famous people with the name Janowicz
- Jerzy Janowicz, Polish tennis player
- Krzysztof Janowicz, Polish boxer and kickboxer
- Zofia Janowicz, Polish runway model
- Janusz Janowicz, Polish actor
- Agnieszka Janowicz, Polish sprint canoer
- Monika Janowicz, Polish actress
- Maciej Janowicz, Polish football player
- Marcin Janowicz, Polish musician
- Janina Janowicz, Polish sculptor
- Jakub Janowicz, Polish chess Grandmaster