Surname Jansch - Meaning and Origin
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Jansch: What does the surname Jansch mean?
The last name Jansch is derived from the Germanic personal name ‘Jannes,’ a derivative of ‘Johannes,’ meaning ‘God is gracious’. The surname Jansch can be found throughout Germany as early as the 13th century, as well as in other parts of Europe during the same time period, indicating its popularity throughout the Middle Ages.
The surrounding areas of the German city of Prague were particularly fond of the last name Jansch due to its prevalence among German settlers there. After the Protestant Reformation, many German families began emigrating away from Germany, and the surname Jansch was among them, appearing in countries including Hungary, the United States, Canada, Poland, and other locations.
During World War II, the Jansch name, like many other German-derived surnames, suffered from discrimination. In the United States, for example, many German-American families altered the spelling of their last name to ‘Janssen’ in order to evade persecution.
Today, the surname Jansch is primarily found in North America, mainly in the United States and Canada. It is still a common name in Germany, however, where it is still associated with the legacy of German-speaking settlers. The name continues to carry with it a proud heritage, and is a testament to the strength and resilience of German descendants today.
Order DNA origin analysisJansch: Where does the name Jansch come from?
The last name Jansch is commonly found today in Germany and throughout Europe. This surname originated in Central Europe and is most likely of German and Slavic origin. It is also found in various countries that were part of the German Empire, including Austria, Czechia, Poland, and Russia.
One of the earliest references of the Jansch surname dates back to 1562 in Alsace-Lorraine, which was a province of the German Empire at the time. The name first appears in Toryn, Poland in the year 1622. The Jansch surname is also found in Czechia where a branch of the Jansch family was mentioned in official records as early as 1717.
Currently, the Jansch surname is most common in areas that have strong German and Czech roots. For example, according to German telephone directory Das Telefonbuch, the surname Jansch is more common in parts of Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia—all of which are connected to the former German Empire.
Outside of Europe, the Jansch surname is found in countries that were once part of the German Empire or have German-speaking residents. These countries include the United States, Canada, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand. In the United States, there are almost 4,000 people named Jansch, the largest amounts noted in California, Florida, and Texas.
Overall, the Jansch surname is most commonly found in Germany and throughout Europe, though it is also found in countries with Germanic roots.
Variations of the surname Jansch
The surname Jansch is of Germanic origin, derived from the personal name Johann, which means “God is gracious”. Variants of this surname include Janshen, Janse, Jansen, Janse, Janssens and Janzen. In addition, some variants of this surname can also be found with different spellings such as Jansh, Janss, Jans and Jaunce.
The earliest known record of this surname dates back to the 12th century in Germany, where it was found spelled as Janschen. It is believed that after the Protestant Reformation, some members of the Jansch family adopted religious settlements as their surname in order to emphasize their loyalty to the Protestant cause. As such, some members of the Jansch family can be found with surnames such as Reformation, Lutheran and Evangelist.
In addition to being found in its original form, the Jansch surname can be found throughout Europe, particularly in Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. In the United States, this surname is most common in Pennsylvania, where a number of immigrants from Germany settled in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Over the centuries, this surname has undergone various changes in spelling, but the original spelling of Jansch has remained the most popular variant.
Famous people with the name Jansch
- Bert Jansch: Scottish folk musician and founding member of the band Pentangle.
- Clive Jansch: South African cricketer who played five Test matches.
- Justin Jansch: former Major League Baseball player and San Francisco Giants special assistant.
- Annette Jansch: Czech artist and sculptor known for her public installations, which can be found around the world.
- Krizz Kaliko: American rapper and model from Kansas City, Missouri whose real surname is Jansch.
- Martin Jansch: British guitarist and songwriter, who started his recording career in 1965 and was an influential figure in the British folk-rock and acoustic rock scenes.
- Neil Jansch: American college basketball coach and former head coach of Bucknell University.
- Luke Jansch: Irish actor and screenwriter, known for My Lady Dilemma (2006) and Calm with Horses (2019).
- Pain Jansch: Swiss goalkeeper and FC Basel goalkeeper who played in the Swiss Super League from 1985 to 1993.
- Charles Jansch: English architect active in the early twentieth century, particularly notable for his work in the towns of Chislehurst and Brockenhurst.