Surname Jenks - Meaning and Origin
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Jenks: What does the surname Jenks mean?
The last name Jenks is a patronymic surname of English origin, meaning “son of Jenk” or “son of Jenkin”. It is a form of Johnson, with Jenkin originating as a pet form of the name John.
The surname Jenks arrived in England during the Middle Ages. It likely derived from Jenkin, a nickname of John, which is derived from the name Johannes. Johannes was derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning “one who is favored of Yahweh” or “graced by God”.
The earliest recorded use of the name Jenks dates to the early 1400s in Wiltshire, England. During this time, surnames were determined by a variety of factors including locality and occupation. As the population increased, so did the need for further identification.
Throughout the centuries, Jenks has been found in various corners of the world, including the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Today, the last name Jenks can be found with people in a variety of occupations ranging from artists to engineers. It is also known by various other spellings including Jenkins, Jenkin, and Jenkens.
Order DNA origin analysisJenks: Where does the name Jenks come from?
The last name Jenks is most commonly found in the United States, particularly in the Midwest.
In the 2010 United States Census, there were 3,231 people out of 9,440 households with the last name Jenks, making it the 1,829th most common last name in the country. Of those, the majority of families lived in Tennessee (23.90% of Jenks families), followed by Illinois (14.01%), Missouri (7.67%), and Arkansas (5.62%).
The largest cluster of Jenks families can be found in the mid-west, mostly in the area known as the Ozark Mountains, including the states of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. This cluster is known to have the highest concentration of Jenks, with several generations congregating in small towns and rural communities.
Outside of the Midwest, the concentration of Jenks is strongest in the United States’ Great Lakes region, particularly in states like Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
The last name has also been found in other parts of the world, including South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Australia. In each instance, the prevalence of Jenks is much lower than in the United States, though still relevant to certain areas.
Variations of the surname Jenks
The Jenks surname has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants of the Jenks surname are Jenckes, Jencks, Jencke, Jenkes, and Jinks. These are all derived from the Middle English phrase “at Jenches” meaning “at the hill or hillock.”
Jenckes is a Dutch variation of the surname. It is derived from the same root, but came from the Flemish dialect of Dutch. In the Flemish dialect, the word “jenche” meant “hill or hillock.”
Jencke is a German variation of the name, also derived from the German dialect of Middle English, where “jenche” is spelled “jenkhe.”
Jenkes is an Old English variation of the name, which would have been more commonly spelled “Jenc.”
Jinks is an interesting variant of the name, originating from the English slang term ‘jink’ meaning “to move quickly.” This likely evolved from a desirable attribute of agility in the early days of the humans who carried the name.
Other surnames that are associated with Jenks are Jenkins, Jenkin, and Jenkyns, which all likely evolved from the same base “Jenches” root. These surnames, while sounding slightly different, all refer to the same meaning of a small hill or hillock.
Famous people with the name Jenks
- Mekhi Phifer: American actor, director, and writer, best known for his roles in films such as 8 Mile and ER.
- Eva Jenks: English actress, known for her roles in the television series Lost & Found and the film Little Voice.
- Stanley Jenks: American chemist who made significant contributions to organic and biological chemistry throughout his career.
- Warren Jenks: American politician who served in the Washington House of Representatives from 1965 to 1973.
- Dale Jenks: American social worker and author, best known for his book Social Justice and Human Services. 6. Taylor Jenks: American ice hockey player who currently plays for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League.
- Raven Jenks: American singer-songwriter and lead vocalist of alt rock group Red Light Riot.
- Carl Jenks: British-born painter who was known for his modernist landscape paintings of the English countryside.
- Richard Jenks: British sculptor and installation artist whose works often explored ideas of fading memories and human connections.
- Rufus Jenks: Australian cricketer who represented Australia in the 1971-72 Ashes series, playing six Tests.