Surname Janke - Meaning and Origin
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My experiences with iGENEA DNA genealogy testing services opened up new understandings about my ancestral past, particularly my family and surname Janke. The journey evoked strong emotions of curiosity, amazement, and a profound sense of belonging.
Y. Janke
read moreJanke: What does the surname Janke mean?
The last name Janke is a German and East European surname derived from the old German personal name Jan, which evolved from Yohannes, a variant of Johannes (Hebrew: יוֹחָנָן). Janke may have referred to an older male ancestor, a version of ‘son of Jan’. Therefore, the surname Janke literally translates to ‘son of Jan’.
The earliest known instance of the surname Janke can be traced back to 1754 in Prussia. Since then, the surname Janke can be found recorded in many documents in countries such as the United States, Germany and the Czech Republic.
Today, the surname Janke is still fairly common. It is most popular in Germany, where it is the 4758th most common name among the German population. It is also popular in the United States, where there are more than 7,000 people with the last name Janke.
What’s more, the surname Janke has many variants, such as Yanko, Yanke and Yankman, among others. This indicates that people with the last name Janke had different spelling preferences or variations of the same name.
Overall, the last name Janke is a German and East European surname with a long history dating back to the 1700’s. It literally translates to ‘son of Jan’ and is still fairly common today in countries such as the United States and Germany.
Order DNA origin analysisJanke: Where does the name Janke come from?
The last name Janke is relatively common in Germany and some regions of eastern Europe. It is most likely derived from a biblical name, Johannes (John). It is also known as Yaekel, Yankev and Yaakov in Ukrainian, Hebrew and Russian, respectively.
It is commonly found in East Prussia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and western Belarus. The Janke family of Prussia dates back to the Middle Ages, when immigrants with this surname arrived in the region.
The population of Prussia has significantly altered since World War II, as the region was divided between Germany, Poland and Russia. However, many Janke families still live in Germany, particularly in Rhineland-Palatinate, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg and Saxony. According to German records, there are around 5500 Janke families living in Germany today. Janke can also commonly be found in North America, some of whom likely immigrated from Eastern Europe.
In modern times, the Janke name is also found in many countries in South America, including Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Paraguay. This is thought to be due to the large number of European immigrants who traveled to these countries to start new lives in the twentieth century.
It can also be found in countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. According to records, there are around 1,500 people living in the United Kingdom with the Janke last name. Overall, the last name Janke is relatively common today, with many people bearing this name scattered around the world.
Variations of the surname Janke
The surname Janke is of German, Polish, and Jewish origin and many alternate, or variant, spellings and surnames derived from this surname exist. The surname Janke is thought to be derived from the personal name Johann, and often takes the form Jenke, Jank, Janko, Janki, Yaneke, Junck, Jenck, Jencki, Janke, Jankiewicz, Jankowski, and Yank.
In Germany, this surname is most commonly used in the regions of Silesia and Lower Saxony, as well as the city of Berlin. In Poland, the surname is most commonly found in the areas of Dolny Slask, Malopolska and Silesia. In Lithuania, the surname is most commonly found in the area of Klaipeda.
In the United States, spellings of the Janke surname can be adapted to English phonetical forms and include forms such as Jankie, Yankowitz, Yankowski and Yankevich.
Many people of this surname have changed the spelling slightly to form an alternate spelling such as Janka, Janek, Janko, Jankovic, Jankovik and Yankovik.
This surname can also be seen in various other forms such as Anke, Jankevitsch, Jankappa, Yankeler, Yankelevich, Jankelovitz, Ilankes, Jankes, Jankoviez, Yankomitsky, Yankopoulos, Yankovitch, Yankovics, and Jankovick.
The surname Janke is believed to have originally derived from Jewish origins. In Jewish families, the surname is most commonly found in the form of Yanchik, Jampel, Yonah, Yankel, Yankowsky, Yankov, Yankelovitch and Yankelovitz.
In order to trace further variants, it is possible to trace the origin of the word back to its roots. In the Scandinavian language, Janke is believed to derive from the words Janki, Janke, Janku and Yanki, all of which placed originally in the Finnish language. In Belarusian, Janke is derived from the words Yanka and Janko.
Famous people with the name Janke
- Karol Janke: Polish professional footballer.
- Ken Janke: Canadian actor, comedian and author.
- John Janke: American diplomat, radio host and lawyer.
- David Janke: Canadian photographer and media artist.
- Gunther Janke: German sociologist and political scientist.
- Heiko Janke: German sprint canoeist who competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics.
- Craig Janke: Australian darts player.
- Udo Janke: German materials scientist and engineer.
- Reinhard Janke: German jurist and a judge at the Constitutional Court of North Rhine-Westphalia.
- Doug Janke: American winner of the 2006 National Bass Fishing Championships.