Jo
A short surname that can arise from several different naming traditions, most often as an abbreviated or adapted form of a longer personal name.
The #9,108 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 86,049 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Jo is too short to have a single secure etymology across all families. In some cases it is a reduced form of a longer given name or surname beginning with Jo-, such as Joseph, Johanson, or a similar name shortened in use. In other cases it may be an adopted spelling that reflects the pronunciation of a non-English name in another language, especially in East Asian or European immigrant contexts.
History
As a surname, Jo is best understood as a name that has arisen independently in more than one place rather than one old medieval English surname. In the United States it is relatively rare and may represent different family lines with different origins. Modern bearers are therefore not necessarily related, and family history usually needs to be traced case by case.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because it is so short, Jo is one of those surnames whose origin can change completely from one family to another.