Surname Johanides - Meaning and Origin
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Johanides: What does the surname Johanides mean?
The last name Johanides is an extremely rare surname, and its exact origin and meaning is not known. Scholars believe it may come from a combination of the Hebrew terms “Johan” and “ides”, both of which can mean “God is gracious”. While there is no definitive answer to the name’s origin, family oral history suggests that the Johanides family is of Jewish heritage.
Many sources say that the earliest Johanides on record was born Hans Jacob Johanides in Naumburg, Germany in 1620. He emigrated to the United States in 1719 and is believed to have settled in Pennsylvania. At the time, Jewish immigration was restricted in many countries, so it is likely that he was forced to adopt the name Johanides as a way to conceal his origins.
The family has dispersed widely since then and still most often crops up in Germany, the United States, and Israel. It is very unlikely that any two people with this last name are related in any way, other than through their shared connection to Hans Jacob Johanides. However, the familial ties and history of this last name still live on in the memories and stories of its members.
Order DNA origin analysisJohanides: Where does the name Johanides come from?
The last name Johanides was historically quite common, particularly in Eastern Europe. It is still found in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Germany, Austria, and other parts of Central and Eastern Europe.
In the United States, however, the name is far less common. The US Census of 2000 estimates that there are approximately 5,000 people with the last name Johanides living in the United States today. Most of these individuals are of Czech or Slovak descent, with some families tracing their roots to Germany and Hungary.
In present-day Hungary, the name is one of the top 500 most-common surnames, and is commonly found in the northern part of the country. In the Czech Republic, around 630 people share the last name, making it relatively uncommon.
The name is also present in other parts of Europe, though in much lower numbers. Since the surname originates from Central and Eastern Europe, many people who share the last name live in countries not considered part of the region. For instance, in the United Kingdom, there are approximately 250 people with the name Johanides, and similarly low numbers in Sweden, France, and the Netherlands.
Overall, the Johanides family surname is still present in some parts of the world, though its true origins remain a mystery. However, it is clear that it is most prevalent in Central and Eastern Europe, and continues to exist in lower numbers in other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Johanides
Johanides is a surname of Dutch origin. Variations of this surname include Johanis, Johannis, Johnenides, Janssen, Janseen, Janszoon and Janzoon. It is a patronymic surname and derived from the given name Johannes, which is the Dutch version of the name John. The meaning is “God was gracious” or “Yahweh is gracious”.
There are other spellings and variants of Johanides as well. These include Yohanides, Yohannes, Yohannis, Johanes, Iohanes, Juhanis, Juhannis, Janes, Janis, Jonnes, Jonsen, Jonsson, Jonis, Cominges and De Johanis.
In addition to the various spellings of Johanides, there are a number of surnames which are derived from the same source but which may be spelled differently. These include Jans, Jansall, Jansma, Jansmae, Janson, Jansma, Johans, Johansson, Joens, Joensen, Jons, Jonse, Jonsel, Joppen, Ozenden, Ose, Osen and Ozerd.
The spelling may vary due to the fact that the surname was adopted by several different cultures. The Ukrainians spelling is “Yohanish” and the French spelling is “du Jonquery”. There are also Irish variants with the surnames “O’Johnesy” and “Johnsey”. In Italy, the surnames “Janiessi” and “Gionesi” are derived from Johanides.
Famous people with the name Johanides
- Thomas Johanides: former US Navy Captain and teacher.
- Dimitris Johanides: Greek entrepreneur and professional musician.
- Dionysis Johanides: Greek athletics champion in cross-country running.
- Leonidas Johanides: Greek Christian Orthodox Bishop.
- Andreas Johanides: Greek pianist and composer.
- Aris Johanides: Greek actor and director.
- Ioannis Johanides: Greek field hockey player.
- Antonia Johanides: Greek TV presenter.
- Vaios Johanides: Greek former football player.
- Constantinos Johanides: Greek former basketball player.
- Mike Johanides: former NBA basketball player.
- George Johanides: former NFL defensive end.
- Joan Johanides: American actress.
- Brian Johanides: musician and music producer.
- Pierre Johanides: Canadian ice hockey player.
- Mary Johanides: American singer-songwriter.
- Tom Johanides: Canadian ice hockey goalie.
- Dimitra Johanides: Greek former volleyball player.
- Vasilis Johanides: Greek hurdler and coach.
- Olga Johanides: Greek rhythmic gymnast and coach.