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

Janks, 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 Janks surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Janks in America

Janks is the 97210th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Janks surname appeared 187 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Janks.

We can also compare 2010 data for Janks 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 Janks

The surname Janks is believed to have originated in Germany, specifically in the region of Saxony, during the Middle Ages. It is likely derived from the Middle Low German word "janke," which means "to quarrel" or "to complain." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone who was known for complaining or arguing frequently.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Janks can be found in the Breviarium Sancti Lulli, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 9th century. This document contains a reference to a monk named Janke, who lived in the Benedictine abbey of Hersfeld in present-day Hesse, Germany.

In the 12th century, a nobleman named Heinrich Janks was mentioned in the Annales Stadenses, a chronicle written by the historian Albert of Stade. This record indicates that Heinrich Janks was a prominent figure in the Duchy of Saxony during that time period.

During the 14th century, a variant spelling of the name, "Janckes," appeared in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents related to the Kingdom of Saxony. This suggests that the name may have been subject to regional variations in spelling over time.

One notable figure with the surname Janks was Johann Janks, a German artist and engraver who lived from 1635 to 1707. He is best known for his intricate copper engravings, which depicted biblical scenes and landscapes.

Another individual of note was Friedrich Janks, a German philosopher and theologian born in 1768. He was a prominent figure in the Enlightenment movement and wrote extensively on topics such as ethics and the nature of human existence.

In the 19th century, a man named Wilhelm Janks (1815-1892) gained recognition as a pioneering German industrialist. He founded one of the earliest steel manufacturing companies in the Ruhr region and played a significant role in the industrialization of Germany.

The surname Janks can also be traced back to the village of Jankendorf, located in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is possible that the name originated from this place name and was subsequently adopted as a surname by residents or individuals associated with the village.

While the surname Janks is relatively uncommon, it has persisted throughout various regions of Germany and other parts of Europe over several centuries, maintaining its connection to its Germanic roots and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Janks

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

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 Janks 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 Janks 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 Janks was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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