Surname Joerns - Meaning and Origin

Joerns: What does the surname Joerns mean?

The last name Joerns is of German origin and is derived from the given name Joern, a short form of any of various German given names beginning with the Germanic element “jern”, which means “strong” or “hostile”. Thus, the surname Joerns likely originates from the “strong” or “hostile” ancestors of the first bearer of the name.

In Germany and other German-speaking countries, the last name is most commonly spelled “Joerns”, with its various alternative spellings including “Johrens” and “Jurns”. In many other countries, including the United States, the spelling has been modified to “Jarnes”, “Jernes”, or “Yarnes”, with other possible variants including “Jordans”, “Gergenz”, and “Goranson”.

The name has been found in records in the U.S. states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York, and Delaware, as well as in Canada and Europe. It is common in the northwestern part of Germany, especially in the state of Brandenburg, where the town of Joerns is situated.

Notably, the surname has been borne by a notable group of people, including Jochen Joerns, a German historian; James K. Joerns, a United States Army Medal of Honor recipient; and Kimberly Joern, a United States Army helicopter pilot killed in action during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Joerns: Where does the name Joerns come from?

The last name Joerns is most commonly found in northern parts of Germany, specifically in and around the city of Oldenburg. This is fitting as Joerns is a German surname, derived from a German given name, Jörn. In recent years, more people with the last name have been found in the United States. Ancestry.com reports that nearly 6,000 individuals with the last name were found in the United States in 2020—a significant increase compared to previous decades.

The other major countries of residence for Joerns are the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. Currently, Joerns in the United States are mostly concentrated in Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. This is likely due to the high influx of German immigrants to these areas during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Aside from the United States, Joerns can be found in other parts of the world as well, including parts of Europe and Asia. In some countries, such as Sweden, Finland, and Estonia, the surname is even more frequent than in the United States.

Overall, the last name Joerns can be found all over the world today. It is most common in German speaking countries, but can also be found in the United States, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and some parts of Europe and Asia.

Variations of the surname Joerns

The surname Joerns is of German and Scandinavian origin. It is an occupational name for someone involved in the craft of iron working. The meaning of the name is "worker of iron". Variations of the surname include Joerns, Jorns, Jurns, Jerns, Journey, and Johanns.

Journs is the Americanized spelling of Joerns and has more of a distribution in the United States than other variants. It is the most common spelling of the name and is widely used in the midwestern states of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. Other variations including Jorns, Jurns, and Jerns are more common in other states.

In Scandinavian countries, the surname of Joerns is spelled with an 'a' or 'å'; Jörns, Jörens, Jærn, Jorance, and Jorenș. It is also found in France and Belgium as Jorans and Joran’s.

Joerns is also sometimes used as a first name, typically pronounced Joey-urns. It can also be a middle name in combination with a first name, such as Asher Joerns.

The alternate forms of the Joerns surname are numerous and differ based on country and even region within that country. All spellings, variations, and surname combinations of Joerns may have the same meaning and origin.

Famous people with the name Joerns

• Stacey Joerns: An American voice actress, best known for her roles in Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2011), as well as The Lorax (2012).
• Michael Joerns: An American scientist and explorer, known for his contributions to seismology and discovery of the San Andreas Fault.
• Megan Joerns: An American author, best known for her series, The Girl Who Fell From the Sky as well as her essays on the subject of immigration and the American Dream.
• Patrick Joerns: An American soccer player, known best for his years playing with the Seattle Sounders in the MLS.
• Joseph Joerns: An entrepreneur who founded the Joerns Healthcare business, which specializes in providing beds, mattresses and other medical equipment to hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities.
• Philip Joerns: An actor, known for his roles on both stage and screen, including the iconic production of The King and I on Broadway.
• Andrew Joerns: An American cinematographer, best known for his work on films such as Men in Black II (2002) and 127 Hours (2010).
• Betsy Joerns: An award-winning executive at Microsoft and advocate for greater diversity in the tech industry.
• Jonah Joerns: An award-winning jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with iconic greats such as Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie.
• Dessa Joerns: A Canadian singer, best known for her collaborations with current legends of the music industry, such as Drake and Kaytranada.

Other surnames

Joern