Surname Jäneke - Meaning and Origin
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Jäneke: What does the surname Jäneke mean?
The last name Jäneke is a German name and is derived from the name Johannes, meaning John in English. The surname is most common in the region of Germany known as East Frisia. The name is composed of two words: Jän which means John, and eke is derived from the Low German word for ‘small’, meaning the son of John or ‘Little John’.
The surname has a long history in East Frisia, with families with the name being mentioned since the 17th century. During the 17th century in Germany, many surname variations of Johannes cropped up, forming a variety of spellings. It is likely that in the low German dialect of East Frisia, the surname Jäneke was formed as a unique way to distinguish between different families.
Jäneke is still a popular surname in Germany today, and has spread around the world with immigrants. It is particularly common in the American Midwest, particularly in the former German enclaves of Indiana and Ohio. Other countries with a high presence of the surname are the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
The surname Jäneke is an interesting testament to Germany’s linguistic history. While John is a name of Biblical origin, the surname Jäneke is unique to the region of East Frisia, passed down for centuries and spreading across the world.
Order DNA origin analysisJäneke: Where does the name Jäneke come from?
The surname Jäneke is most common today in Germany, Austria and parts of Switzerland. It originates from the Old German language and means “little lamb”. In Germany, the last name first appeared during the 17th century and is most common in the northern regions. The highest concentration of Jänekes is located just southwest of Berlin in the Prignitz district of Brandenburg.
The surname is also found in Scandinavia, particularly Norway and Sweden, due to post-World War II waves of German immigration. Furthermore, there is a significant concentration in the American Midwest–especially Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, and Ohio–where late 19th century German immigrants settled.
In Australia, the surname spread due mostly to emigration out of Germany during the 19th century. In particular, there is a high concentration near the area known as the Barossa Valley in South Australia.
The surname Jäneke has also spread to various parts of Brazil, with the largest concentrations near the cities of Curitiba and São Paulo.
Today, the surname Jäneke is not particularly common but it can be found in various regions around the world.
Variations of the surname Jäneke
The surname Jäneke is of Germanic origin and is derived from the personal name Johannes. Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin are:
Jänicke - A spelling variant of Jäneke.
Janek - A German variant of the surname Jäneke.
Janicker - German variant of Jäneke.
Jänicker - Another German variant of the surname.
Johnke - Another German variant of the surname.
Janecke - Another German variant of the surname.
Jeannicke - A Dutch variant of the surname.
Jannicke - A Dutch variant of the surname.
Jeannickel - A Dutch variant of the surname.
Jeanicke - Dutch variant of the surname.
Jenneke - A Dutch variant of the surname.
Jonike - A Dutch variant of the surname.
Jenieck - A variant of Jäneke which is found mainly in Poland.
Yañez - A Spanish variant of the surname.
Yanis - A surname variant found mainly in Lithuania.
Yannicke - Another form of the surname found mainly in France.
Yannick - A French variant of the surname.
Janeczek - A Polish variant of the surname.
Jankowski - A Polish patronymic surname based on the medieval given name Janko.
Johnson - A Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian patronymic surname based on John.
Jansen - A Dutch patronymic surname based on Jan.
Janssen - A Dutch patronymic surname based on Jan.
Jans - A Dutch short form of Jan.
In summary, the variants, spellings, and other surnames of the same origin as Jäneke include Jänicke, Janek, Janicker, Jänicker, Johnke, Janecke, Jeannicke, Jannicke, Jeannickel, Jeanicke, Jenneke, Jonike, Jenieck, Yañez, Yanis, Yannicke, Yannick, Janeczek, Jankowski, Johnson, Jansen, Janssen, and Jans.
Famous people with the name Jäneke
- Jurgen Jäneke: professional cyclist from Germany
- Mike Jäneke: professional ice hockey player from Germany
- Timo Jäneke: professional freestyle skier from Germany
- Fabian Jäneke: German footballer
- Joshua Jäneke: British actor
- Merle Jäneke: German figure skating champion
- Thomas Jäneke: German chess player
- Melissa Jäneke: Australian track and field athlete
- Jack Jäneke: German celebrity chef
- Annett Jäneke: German reporter