Janssen
A Dutch and Low German patronymic surname meaning “son of Jan” (John).
The #3,160 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 27,028 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Janssen is a patronymic surname built from Jan, the Dutch and Low German form of John, plus the surname suffix -sen/-son meaning “son of.” In plain terms, it originally meant “Jan’s son” or “son of John.” The spelling with double -ss- is especially associated with Dutch and northwestern German usage.
History
The name is strongly associated with the Netherlands and the Low German-speaking north of Germany, where patronymic surnames of this type became very common. Historical writers also note it in Friesland and Jeverland, showing how widely the Jan-based family of names spread across the northwest Germanic area. Some later bearers moved into England and elsewhere; one notable example mentioned in older sources is Theodore Janssen, a refugee who became a British baronet in the early 18th century.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Old surname surveys from the northwest German lands describe Janssen as one of the very common Jan-derived family names there.
From the historical record
“JANSON. See John, and Janssen. JANSSEN. Originally from G uelderland. The head of the family was the Baron de Heez, one of the Protestant leaders against the Inquisition andthe tyranny of the Duke of Alva; he unfortunately fell into the hands of the Duke of Parma, and lost his estate and his life. On the dispersion…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United KingdomNotable people named Janssen
- Famke Janssen (b. 1964)
- Pierre Janssen (1824–1907)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.