2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Janac
A surname derived from a diminutive form of the given name John.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Janac. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Janac surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Janac in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Janac, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.2%. The next largest groups are Black (17.8%) and Two or More Races (6.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Janac
The surname Janac is believed to have originated in Croatia, specifically in the regions of Dalmatia and Istria. It is thought to have derived from the Latin name "Janatius" or the Italian name "Giovanni," both of which are variants of the name John. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century in medieval Croatian records.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Ivan Janac, a nobleman from the city of Zadar in the 14th century. He was a prominent figure in the local government and served as a magistrate during the Venetian rule of Dalmatia. Records from this time period often referred to the family as "Janacich" or "Gianacich," reflecting the Italian influence in the region.
In the 15th century, the Janac family gained prominence in the town of Vrbnik on the island of Krk. Several members of the family were involved in the local wine trade, which was a significant economic activity in the region. One notable figure was Petar Janac, a merchant who established trade routes with Venice and other Italian cities.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Janac appears in various historical documents from the Dubrovnik Republic. One notable individual was Miho Janac, a wealthy merchant and ship owner who lived in the early 17th century. His trading ventures extended across the Mediterranean, and he was known for his philanthropic contributions to the city.
In the 19th century, a branch of the Janac family settled in the city of Split. One of the most prominent members was Ante Janac (1822-1897), a lawyer and politician who played a significant role in the Croatian National Revival movement. He was a vocal advocate for Croatian autonomy and cultural preservation within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Another notable figure was Josip Janac (1876-1945), a Croatian architect and urban planner. He was responsible for designing several important buildings in Zagreb, including the Croatian National Theater and the Croatian State Archives building. His work was influential in shaping the modern architectural landscape of the city.
While the Janac surname has its roots in Croatia, it has also been found in other parts of Europe, particularly in regions with historical Croatian populations or influence, such as Italy, Austria, and parts of the Balkans. However, the majority of historical records and notable individuals with this surname can be traced back to its Croatian origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Janac
Among Census respondents with the surname Janac, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.2%. The next largest groups are Black (17.8%) and Two or More Races (6.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Janac bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Janac surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White68.2% · 73
- Black or African American17.8% · 19
- Two or more races6.5% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Janac
Janac appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-5 bearers (-4.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,466 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-3 bearers (-2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,244 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.3%) | Down 14,466 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.7%) | Down 2,244 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Janac surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #149,395 | #151,639 | -1.5% |
| Count | 110 | 107 | -2.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Janac bearers went from 110 to 107 (-2.7% change). The surname moved down 2,244 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #151,639.
FAQ
Janac surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Janac?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Janac. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Janac?
Janac ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Janac. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Janac.
Has Janac become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Janac went from 110 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Janac?
Among Census respondents with the surname Janac, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.2%. The next largest groups are Black (17.8%) and Two or More Races (6.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Janac in the 2020 Census, accounting for 68.2% (73 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Janac appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (68.2%), Black (17.8%), Two or More Races (6.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Janac (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Janac mean?
A surname derived from a diminutive form of the given name John. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Janac (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Janac?
You can see how many people are called Janac on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.