Surname von Janson - Meaning and Origin
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von Janson: What does the surname von Janson mean?
The last name von Janson is mainly found in Scandinavia, and is thought to be of either French or German origin. The prefix von means “of” or "from” in German and Scandinavian languages, so von Janson could refer to a person being descended from Janson or from Janson’s place of origin. It could also mean “of Jans”, an archaic spelling of the name John, usually found in legitimate noble families in Europe.
In Scandinavia, the last name von Janson is generally associated with nobility and wealth. It is commonly thought to be a patronymic surname, meaning it is a family name derived from the father's name. This could refer to families of higher social standing who had elite or aristocratic roots. However, there is no definitive answer about the origin of the last name and its corresponding privilege levels as records from centuries-ago have been lost or are patchy at best.
In modern times, von Janson is a common surname, and is of Swedish, Danish, and German origin. It is usually an unaltered spelling of the surname, and therefore its exact history may be difficult to determine. It is, however, possible to research the name through detailed family history records and genealogical research. Those researching the name von Janson have suggested that it was originally an estate identifier rather than a patronymic, and that multiple families acquired the name over time.
Order DNA origin analysisvon Janson: Where does the name von Janson come from?
The last name von Janson is still commonly found across Germany, as well as various other parts of Europe. The majority of von Janson families today are largely descended from the original family line, which can be traced back to the 16th century and largely stems from southwest Germany, predominantly the Palatinate state.
Despite a few branches having spread out across Europe, most von Janson families remain in Germany and the direct descendants of the original medieval Janson family are still alive and well today. As such, it is highly likely that the von Janson name will continue to remain in use down through the generations. The von Janson families are a prominent part of the German landscape.
The spread of the von Janson last name has also led to it being seen in other countries. Given the large numbers of Germans throughout Europe, it is likely that many of them have also emigrated to other countries, bringing with them the von Janson last name.
The von Janson name is most prevalent in Germany, but can also be found in the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, and Norway. In recent years, it has seen an increase in usage in Japan, which may be due to the growing population of Germans living and working there.
Overall, the von Janson last name is still a very common name internationally, and it is likely that it will remain so for generations to come.
Variations of the surname von Janson
The surname von Janson is a German surname, derived from the word Janson, a variant of the given name Johannes. As a patronymic surname, it typically represented the son of a man named Johannes or Janson.
The main variants for this surname are Jansen, Janson, Janssen, and Janssens. Other variants include Jansdatter, Jansdotter, Janzan, and Janzsen. In Danish, the name is written Jansøn and in Swedish it is Jansson. At times, surnames were shortened for various reasons and so a variant of von Janson could also be V. Janson.
The surname von Janson is also commonly found with the various Germanic additions, such as von, vant, van, van der, von der, zum, etc. For example, the variants could be von Jansen, vante Jansson, van Janssens, van der Jansdotter, von der Jansøn, zum Janson and so on.
Additionally, the surname von Janson also has several spelling variations, such as Janse, Jaens, Jaense, Jaenss, Jans, Janss, Jense, Jenss, Janz, and Janzs. The rarer spellings could include Jansons, Jaenssen, Jaenssens, Janszen, Jansdatter, Jansdotter, and Janszon.
In some cases, the surname von Janson may have also been adopted in other countries and translations made accordingly. A prime example would be the variant Jeanson, which is mostly found in France, Belgium, and Canada. Another popular variant is Jansson, commonly found in Scandinavian and Baltic countries.
Famous people with the name von Janson
- Willem van Janson (fl.1845-1866), Dutch painter.
- António Francisco de Assis Janson von Chocolat (1790–1869), Portuguese botanist and pharmacist.
- Ivar Johan von Janson (1791–1868), Danish sculptor.
- Otto Carl Vernocher von Janson (1815–1879), German botanist and general in the Prussian Army.
- Carl Harald Janson von Janson (1820–1887), Swedish architect.
- Siegfried Janson von Janson (1842–1913), Swedish composer and conductor.
- August Ludwig von Janson (1850–1888), German painter and illustrator.
- Hans-Adalbert von Janson (1863–1937), German military officer and diplomat.
- Hermann von Janson-Waasen (1864–1920), German collector and art collector.
- Friedrich Ludwig von Janson (1868–1947), German physician, politician, and Nazi official.
- Sascha Florian Grigori Janson von Janson (1875–1954), Russian military officer and White Russian leader.
- Ernst von Janson (1883–1962), German actor and director.
- Rudolf Janson von Janson (1905–1988), East German diplomat.
- Erich Janson von Janson (1907–2006), German politician.
- Ludwig Johan Emil von Janson (1908–2001), German lawyer.
- Lothar von Janson (1922–2014), German air force officer, businessman, and artist.
- Maria von Janson (born 1939), Swedish actress.
- Sophia von Janson (born 1974), German actress, director, and television presenter.