Find out how popular the last name Jahnke is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Jahnke.

Jahnke, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Jahnke surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jahnke in America

Jahnke is the 8225th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jahnke surname appeared 4,035 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Jahnke.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jahnke to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Jahnke

The surname Jahnke is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the German personal name Johann, a variant of the Hebrew name Yohanan, which means "Yahweh is gracious." The suffix "-ke" was likely added to denote a diminutive form, indicating a familial or affectionate connection.

In its earliest recorded instances, the name appeared as Jahnke or Jahnkee in various German regions, particularly in Prussia and Saxony. It was often associated with rural areas and farming communities, suggesting a potential agricultural background for many families bearing this surname.

One of the earliest known references to the name Jahnke can be found in the records of the city of Rostock, in present-day northern Germany. In the year 1587, a citizen named Hans Jahnke was documented as a landowner and taxpayer within the city limits.

As the name spread across German-speaking regions, it underwent slight variations in spelling, such as Janke, Jahnken, and Jankee. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and regional preferences.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname Jahnke. One such figure was Johann Jahnke, a Lutheran minister and theologian who lived from 1667 to 1723. He served as a pastor in various churches in Saxony and authored several religious texts that were widely circulated during his lifetime.

Another notable bearer of the name was Wilhelm Jahnke, a German artist and illustrator born in 1837. His intricate woodcut engravings and illustrations adorned numerous books and publications in the 19th century, earning him recognition within the artistic community of his time.

In the 20th century, the name gained further prominence with the works of Erich Jahnke, a German mathematician and physicist born in 1888. He made significant contributions to the field of numerical analysis and authored several influential publications, including the seminal work "Tables of Functions with Formulae and Curves."

The surname Jahnke has also been associated with certain place names in Germany, such as Jahnkendorf, a small village located in the state of Brandenburg. This village likely derived its name from early settlers or landowners bearing the Jahnke surname.

Additionally, the name Jahnke has been carried by individuals in various fields, including literature, politics, and sports. For instance, Rolf Jahnke was a German author and poet who published several collections of poetry and prose in the latter half of the 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jahnke

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Jahnke.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Jahnke was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Jahnke has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Jahnke was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Jahnke, please contact us.

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