JANSEN
Jansen is a Dutch patronymic surname, indicating lineage as the son of Jan. Jan is the Dutch variation of the name John, itself derived from the Hebrew Yohanan, which means “graced by God” or “God is gracious”. Thus the surname may be understood as son of the one who is graced by God.
The suffix -sen is traditionally used in Dutch-speaking regions to form surnames meaning son of. The same naming convention appears in other languages, giving rise to equivalents such as Johnson in English, Johansen in Norwegian, and Jensen in Danish.
Historical records show that patronymic names were common across Europe from the twelfth century onwards. In England the first recorded use of a form equivalent to Jan's son appears in the “Close Rolls” of Suffolk for the year 1230, under the designation Pertus Johannis. In Germany a similar patronymic, Walterus filius Johannis, is documented in 1323 at Vaihingen, while Friedberg records Baumeister Johannssen in 1344.
Within the Netherlands the surname is extremely common. It is also found in the Flemish provinces of Belgium, where the Dutch language prevails. Emigration from these areas has established the name in countries such as the United States and South Africa, often retaining the original spelling, though it sometimes becomes anglicised to Johnson.
Across Europe a wide variety of spellings have arisen, reflecting linguistic differences. These include Janssen, Jenssen, Jansson, Janssens, Janzen, and Jantzen in German-speaking regions; Jónsson in Icelandic contexts; and Johnsen or Johansen in Scandinavian areas. Despite the orthographic variations, the fundamental meaning of the name remains unchanged, denoting descent from an ancestor named Jan.
In contemporary usage the surname Jansen is still recognised as a marker of Dutch heritage, although its frequency in the Netherlands has been diluted by migration and intermarriage. Nevertheless, it remains one of the most common family names in the country and persists as a linguistic relic of a patronymic system that linked a child directly to his or her father.
Typical given names associated with the Jansen surname
Male
- Christopher
- David
- Erik
- Horst
- Johannes
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
- Van
Female
- Ann
- Barbara
- Christina
- Debra
- Elizabeth
- Hanna
- Jan
- Karen
- Lisa
- Loraine
- Lynn
- Rebecca
- Sophie
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Geensen
- Jainsen
- Jahnson
- Jainson
- Jaanson
- Janse
- Janeeson
- Janeson
- Janieson
- Janison
- Janneson
- Jannson
- Jansens
- Janson
- Jansons
- Janssen
- Janssens
- Jansseune
- Jansson
- Janszen
- Janzen
- Jeanson
- Jeansson
- Jennson
- Jensen
- Jenson
- Jensons
- Jenssen
- Jensson
- Jenzen
- Janen
- Jannison
- Jansan
- Jasen
- Jennisen
- Jessen
- Jonsen
- Jennison
- Johnson
- Joinson
- Jonson
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Jansen in...
Braille
⠚⠁⠝⠎⠑⠝
Morse
.---.--.....-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 1,534 people named Jansen in the UK. That makes it roughly the 5,254th most common surname in Britain. Around 24 in a million people in Britain are named Jansen.
Region of origin: Europe
Country of origin: Germany
Language of origin: German
Famous people named Jansen
- Matt Jansen - Football player and manager
- Steve Jansen - Drummer
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.