JONAS
Jonas is a surname of Hebrew origin, derived from the personal name Yonah, meaning “dove.” The dove is a symbol of peace and purity in biblical literature, and the name was commonly adopted in early Christian communities for individuals possessing gentle or innocent qualities.
In medieval England the name was known in its Latinised form Jonah and later appeared as Jonas in a number of surviving records. A notable example is Jonas de Powis, recorded in the 1156 Pipe Rolls of London. The surname is also documented in London church registers of the late sixteenth century, where variants such as Jonis and Jonah are found. One instance is the christening of the infant Ruthe Jonis on 26 September 1565 at St. Margaret’s, Westminster. Further evidence of the name’s presence in the capital is given by the marriage of Benjamin Julius Jonas to Isabella Solomons in the Great Synagogue, London, on 5 June 1850. The earliest confirmed spelling of the family name, Balthasar Jonas, married Joan Boltone on 3 July 1559 in St. Stephen, Coleman Street, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
The etymology of the surname is directly linked to the biblical prophet Jonah, whose story—highlighted by being swallowed by a great fish on a voyage to Tarshish—captured the imagination of medieval Europe and led to widespread use of the name in religious contexts. As a surname, Jonas was thus adopted by Christians across the continent and entered the onomastic landscape of England, Wales, and Scotland.
Variant spellings arise from linguistic and regional differences. In England and Wales common variants include Jones, Johnes, Johnas, Jonahs, and Joanes. In Germany the name evolved into forms such as Jonasse or Jonasch, while in Scandinavia and France it remained largely unchanged as Jonas. The Scandinavian countries use the name both as a first name and a surname, a practice that continues in modern times. In Lithuania, Jonas is a popular first name, and the surname can be found there in a smaller but still significant proportion of the population.
Beyond its biblical roots, the surname may also appear as an Anglicised form of the Welsh surname Jones, or as a variation of Germanic names such as Johannes in countries like the Netherlands, Germany, and Sweden. A distinctly Nordic form, Jonasson, literally means “son of Jonas” and is broadly used in Sweden, Iceland, and other Scandinavian nations. The female counterpart, while less common, can also be derived in similar patronymic traditions.
In Jewish communities the surname Jonas is accepted as a version of the Hebrew name Yonah, allowing the name to function as a bridge between Christian, Jewish, and secular European identities. This cross-cultural utilisation has contributed to the presence of Jonas in a range of countries, including Germany, France, Hungary, and the United States, where historical migration patterns and resettlement during periods of persecution have dispersed families with this name.
From its origin as a biblical personal name to its current wide distribution across Europe and North America, the surname Jonas illustrates the way in which linguistic, religious, and migratory forces shape family names. Its continuity over eight centuries, documented through legal registers, church records, and genealogical sources, affirms its standing as a durable element of Anglo‑English onomastics and as part of a broader European heritage of names derived from scripture.
Typical given names associated with the Jonas surname
Male
- Adrian
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Lee
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Christine
- Clare
- Elizabeth
- Julie
- Katie
- Kerstin
- Linda
- Margaret
- Michelle
- Nicola
- Sarah
- Susan
- Suzanne
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Jonas in...
Braille
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There are approximately 1,591 people named Jonas in the UK. That makes it roughly the 5,102nd most common surname in Britain. Around 24 in a million people in Britain are named Jonas.
Surname type: From given name or forename
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Jonas
- Priyanka Chopra Jonas - Indian actress and singer
- Nick Jonas - American singer and actor
- Sophie Belinda Jonas - Actress
- Kevin Jonas - American musician
- Joe Jonas - American singer and actor
- Frankie Jonas - American actor
- Danielle Jonas -
- Natasha Jonas - Boxer
- Peter Jonas - Director
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.