Surname Jorns - Meaning and Origin

Jorns: What does the surname Jorns mean?

The surname Jorns is of German origin and was introduced to the United States from Germany in the early 20th century. It is a regional name, intrigued by its geographical origin in the area of Schleswig-Holstein. The name Jorns has been derived from an old German word "jonme" meaning "yokel" or "rustic”.

The name is believed to originate from the original farmer or small-town resident from the area. It suggests that an ancestor of those with the name Jorns was once a landowner or serf living in the rural region of Schleswig-Holstein.

In addition, the name is likely derived from the pre-Christian Jutish name Jor, which specifically meant “farmer”. This has been used throughout history in many sources, including in the thirteenth century in Germany. It is used as an occupational name to denote a person who works in agriculture or practices farming.

Today, the surname Jorns is a respected and well-known name throughout the world. Many families have carried on the name generation after generation and in the United States, it is particularly popular in the Midwest region. The surname is shared by many people, some of whom are well-known such as Dr. Klaus Jorns, an acclaimed German pathologist, and Ute Jorns, a renowned German journalist.

Jorns: Where does the name Jorns come from?

The last name Jorns is a Dutch surname originating from a region known as "Jutland" which is situated in what is now Denmark and Germany. Jonsen and Jorns were common surnames found in this region. Today, the last name Jorns can be found in a number of countries, including the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

In the United States, Jorns is a relatively rare family name. During the 2000s, there were slightly less than 2000 people who had the last name Jorns living in the United States, with the majority being concentrated in the states of Iowa and Illinois. In other countries, it is much more common. The Netherlands, for example, has a population of over 16 million people and approximately 200,000 people with the last name Jorns.

Despite its relative rarity in the United States, Jorns is still considered an old family name and can be found in many old records and documents. Its origin and meaning can still be traced back to the Dutch region from which it hails. If you are researching your family heritage, Jorns may be an interesting name to look into if you can trace it back to Jutland.

Variations of the surname Jorns

The surname Jorns (or Jornsdatter) is a patronimic name of Scandinavian and Norwegian origin. The variants of this surname include Jørns, Jornsdotter, Jørnsdotter, Jørnsen, Jørnsdatter, Jornsby, Jørnsby, Jorns, Jørnsrud, Jørnsrud, Jørnson, and Jørnsson. There are also regional variations of this name, such as in Denmark, where the spelling is Jørn.

The Jorns surname is a patronymic name, meaning it was derived from the name of the father or ancestor. The original name from which Jorns or Jørns is derived is Jörn, an Old Norse first name. In Old Norse, Jȝrn means ‘shield’. This first name is known to originate from the Germanic names Arnold, Arnulf or Arend, or from other Germanic names beginning with the element Erne, meaning eagle.

In Norwegian, the surname is sometimes spelled Jørnsdotter, but usually spelled Jørnsdatter. This is because dotter in Norwegian translates to daughter. So a Norwegian Jørnsdotter would refer to the daughter of a man with the name Jørns. The same surname can be spelled Jönsson in Sweden and Jørnson in Norway. It is also a common surname in the Netherlands, most commonly spelled Jorna.

Over time, the Jorns surname has also been Anglicized to forms such as Jerns, Gorns and Jornsen. The surname is not particularly common, but can be found in Scandinavia, the Netherlands and the United States. There are also a few people with the surname Jorns in Finland, mainly people with ancestry from Finland-Swedish speaking parts of the country.

Famous people with the name Jorns

• Keith Jorns: professional artist, illustrator, and painter
• Christoph Jorns: German actor, director, and producer
• Paul Jorns: German engineer and inventor
• Jürgen Jorns: German football player
• David Jorns: American architect
• Steffen Jorns: German football player
• Alisa Jorns: Danish actress
• Lorraine Jorns: American film and television producer
• Mel Jorns: American rock musician
• Anu Jorns: Finnish sculptor

Other surnames

JornJörn