Surname Jenning - Meaning and Origin

Jenning: What does the surname Jenning mean?

The surname Jenning is a patronymic name derived from the personal name Jen, Jan, or John, often used in the Middle Ages. John is a name of biblical origin meaning "God is gracious" and is commonly used in various forms across various cultures. The ending "-ing" in the surname denotes "son of" or "descendant of". Therefore, Jenning could mean "son or descendant of Jen or John". It originated in England and Scotland and it shares origins with other similar surnames like Jennings, Jening, Jenins, and Jenninges. Such names became popular after the Norman Conquest in 1066, during which the Normans introduced the practice of using personal names to create surnames. Like most surnames, its usage was initially for distinguishing people with the same first name in the same community. It could also have been used to refer to a location as is common with some surnames. Over time, these surnames have been passed down through generations to become family names.

Jenning: Where does the name Jenning come from?

The last name Jenning has its roots in Northern England and Scotland. It is derived from the personal name Jon, John, or Jean, with the 'ing' added on to denote 'son of'. Therefore, 'Jenning' could roughly translate to 'son of John'.

Historically, the last name was most prevalent in northwestern England, Southern Scotland and Southeast part of Northern Ireland, particularly counties like Westmorland and Lancashire. It was also found in small numbers in Germany and the Netherlands. The name belongs to the large classification of European habitation names which include city, village, hamlet, or country names.

Today, the last name Jenning, alongside its variants like Jennings, has spread with the tide of global migration, with notable concentrations in North America and Australia. In the United States, the name finds a higher concentration within the states of Delaware, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and California. Nonetheless, it remains prevalent in the UK, particularly in Northern England.

Variations of the surname Jenning

The surname Jenning has English origins and is believed to be a derivative of the first name John or Jan. It hasn't got many known variant spellings, but one variant is Jennings. This originates from 'son of Jenning'.

There are also numerous surnames of the same origin in English and other languages. Starting with English, we have Jenkins, Jenks, and Jenkinson, all meaning 'son of Jenkin', another derivative of John.

Many surnames with "Jen-" root can be credited to a derivative of John or Jan. For instance, Jensen and Jenson, which are Danish surnames, signify 'son of Jens', a Danish version of John.

Similar surnames can be found in different languages. For example, the Dutch version of these surnames would look like Jans, Jansen, or Jansson, whilst Germans would use Jahn or Jahnke.

In Scandinavian countries, John translates to Johan or Johannes; in this case, Johansson, Johannessen, Johanneson, etc., would be used.

Ultimately, however, it's important to remember that surnames can vary greatly depending on the language and regional differences, so the origin of a surname may not always be clear-cut.

Famous people with the name Jenning

• Chris Jennings: American athlete, specializing in sprint hurdling events.
• Al Jennings: American outlaw and frontier lawman.
• Stephen Jennings: British-South African businessman and founder of the Renaissance Group.
• Charles Heber Jennings: American politician from the state of Georgia.
• David Roy Jennings: Canadian actor, author and theatre producer.
• Chipley Jennings: American racecar driver who competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.
• Martha Jennings: American wildlife conservation advocate.
• Rachel Nicole Jennings: American association football player who plays as a forward for North Carolina Courage.
• Chase Jennings: Canadian professional ice hockey player.
• Michelle Jennings: American model, television personality, and actress.

Other surnames

Jennings