Surname Jensohn - Meaning and Origin

Jensohn: What does the surname Jensohn mean?

The last name Jensohn is of German origin and is derived from the given names Johann and Hans combined. It is composed of a patronymic name, Jen and the suffix –sohn, which means “son of.”

Johann is a given name derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning ‘God is gracious’. Hans is a name derived from the given name Johannes, which is the informal form of Johann. Johannes is a Dutch, German, Scandinavian form of the Latin name Johannes, which is derived from the French form of the same name. The name is composed of the two elements iohannes, which means ‘God is gracious’ and hanni, which refers to 'gracious gift of God'.

The last name Jensohn denotes a descendant of a man whose father was named Johann or Hans, which a combination of the two names. The suffix -sohn specifically implies a male heir, maligning the lineage as being that of a male. The origin of the surname Jensohn suggests that the family carried a strong sense of tradition and a sense of family ties.

The name was mainly found within areas of Germany, and is still prevalent today.

Jensohn: Where does the name Jensohn come from?

The last name Jensohn is primarily found in Scandanavian countries today. Particularly, the Swedes have a high concentration of the name. Records indicate that there is a town in Sweden by the same name, likely bearing the same familial relation. Roughly two thousand individuals living in Sweden today share the last name, and records indicate that there are hundreds of people in Denmark, Norway, and Finland with the surname.

The name appears throughout European records, yet the majority of those living with the family name are of Scandinavian descent. In modern records, the name is most commonly spelled as Jenson or Jensson in English-speaking countries, though the origin remains the same.

Those of Scandinavian descent living in the US are more likely to bear the name Jensohn. Census records indicate that almost a thousand people living in the United States in 2020 have the name. Most of these individuals have Norwegian or Swedish ancestry.

It appears as though the Jensohn family is still alive and well; though today, it's more commonly found in Scandanavian countries than any other part of the world.

Variations of the surname Jensohn

The surname Jensohn is a German and Jewish surname, originating in places such as Prussia, Austria, Hungary, and Poland. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Jensen, Jenzen, Janzen, Janssen, Janson, Jansohn, Genson, Gensonne, Gensonneer, Jansohn, Yenshen, Jenson, Jenshen, and Yensen.

Jensen is a popular variant and spelling, derived from the German surname Jens, which in turn originated from the given name Johannes, meaning “Yahweh is gracious”. Other spellings such as Jenzen, Janzen and Janson are also derived from this. Janssen, which also originates from the given name Johannes, is a popular Dutch variant of the same name.

Jansohn and Genson are more uncommon spellings and variants, originated from the German surname Gensch, meaning “gentleman”. The spelling Gensonne is a variation of the old German surname Genschonne, also derived from the same meaning.

Jenson is a variation of Jensen, derived from the old Scandinavian version of the given name Johannes, meaning “son of John”. The spellings Jenshen and Yensen were also derived from this source. Finally, Yenshen is a Chinese transliteration of Jensen, which is a variation of the given name Johannes.

Famous people with the name Jensohn

• Eddie Jensohn: Professional Sound Engineer
• Sondre Jensohn: Norwegian Footballer
• Rakel Jensohn: Actress
• Alfred Jensohn: Entrepreneur
• Gary Jensohn: Film Director
• André Jensohn: Economist
• Ingeborg Jensohn: Swedish Chess Player
• Theodor Jensohn: Architect
• Mirjam Jensohn: Journalist
• Peter Jensohn: Politician
• Britta Jensohn: Social Worker
• Sophia Jensohn: Children's Author
• Robin Jensohn: Adventurer
• Bruce Jensohn: Astronomer
• Thea Jensohn: Artist
• John Jensohn: Physicist
• Alison Jensohn: Musician
• John Jensohn: Musician
• Tim Jensohn: Poet
• Philip Jensohn: Geologist

Other surnames

Jenson