Surname Janetz - Meaning and Origin
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Janetz: What does the surname Janetz mean?
The last name Janetz is likely of Eastern European origin, and it likely originated in the Czech Republic. The name first appears in records associated with the Czech county of Svitavy at the beginning of the 19th century. The Janetz name most likely derived from Jan, a common Czech and Slovak first name, which is derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan or Johanan. This was in turn derived from the verb root hanan, which means "to show mercy, to pity, to have compassion." The suffix -etz is a suffix used to denote a patronymic, a surname derived from an ancestor’s given name, so the name Janetz therefore translates to "son or descendant of Jan." Janetz is a relatively common surname in the Czech Republic, where it is spelled Janec or Janecz, and it is also popular in German-speaking countries, as it takes on the Germanized version of Janetz, which is Jancz.
Order DNA origin analysisJanetz: Where does the name Janetz come from?
The surname Janetz is most common in Europe, particularly amongst people of Polish or Czech descent. It is believed to be of Slavic origin. In Poland, the surname is spelled Janiec and is an occupational surname for a shepherd. In the Czech Republic, Janetz is more often spelled Janecz and is descriptive, referring to the ancestor's hair colour.
In terms of countries with the most people with the surname Janetz, Poland takes the lead. There is an unusually high concentration in the county of Kalisz which is located in southwestern Poland. There are also significant populations of this surname in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Russia. Smaller numbers of the Janetz surname can also be found in Germany, Austria, Belgium, and France.
In the United States, the surname Janetz is less common but does exist, with the highest concentrations found in Illinois and Wisconsin. There are also significant numbers in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, and Michigan. The Janetz surname also has some presence in Canada, particularly Ontario.
Overall, the Janetz surname is quite common in Europe and parts of North America. It is believed to have Slavic origins and is often used to describe the appearance of an ancestor (e.g. their hair colour).
Variations of the surname Janetz
The surname Janetz is derived from the given name Jan, which is a masculine version of the Hebrew name Joan, short for Yehohanan, meaning “God is gracious”. Thus, the variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin may include the following:
Jan - This is the basic form of the name and is sometimes used on its own, as an informal abbreviation of the full form.
Jann - This is an informal spelling of the name.
Jen - This is an informal, abbreviated spelling of the name.
Jenn - This is an informal spelling of the name, slightly different than Jen.
Jannet - This is a feminine version of the name, denoting the variation Joan.
Janet - This is the English spelling of the feminine variant of the name Joan.
Janette - This is a phonetic spelling of the name, and also supplementary form of Janecz or Janic, often used as a nickname or pet form.
Janic - This is a phonetic spelling of the name, often used as a nickname or pet form.
Janecz - This is a phonetic spelling of the name, often used as a nickname or pet form.
Janitz - This is a surname variant of Janetz.
Janicz - This is a surname variant of Janetz.
Janisz - This is a surname variant of Janetz.
Janick - This is a surname variant of Janetz.
Janicki - This is a surname variant of Janetz.
Janicke - This is a surname variant of Janetz.
Janicki - This is a surname variant of Janetz.
Famous people with the name Janetz
- Kevin Janetz: a Canadian sprint athlete who won a gold medal in the men's 4 × 100 m relay at the Pan American Games.
- Greg Janetz: a former American football defensive tackle who played eleven seasons in the National Football League for the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns.
- Pete Janetz: an American professional golfer who has won professional events on the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour.
- Mike Janetzko: an American former soccer midfielder who played professionally in the Continental Indoor Soccer League and United Soccer League.
- Richard Janetzky: a former Austrian footballer who played as a defender for FC Wacker Innsbruck, FK Austria Wien and the Austria national team.
- André Janetzka: a German ice hockey coach and a former professional ice hockey player who defended for various German teams.
- Raymond Janetzki: a German professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for FC Schalke 04.
- Klaus Janetzky: a Swiss physician and medical-historian, who established an Institute for Medical History at the University of Basel in 2013.
- Jessica Janetz: a German footballer and handballer who currently plays as a striker for Bayern Munich.
- Bernhard Janetzky: a German equestrian who competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in the individual eventing competition.