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

Janofsky, 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 Janofsky surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Janofsky in America

Janofsky is the 100791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Janofsky surname appeared 179 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 Janofsky.

We can also compare 2010 data for Janofsky 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 Janofsky

The surname Janofsky is of Eastern European origin, specifically from the regions of present-day Poland and Ukraine. It is believed to have emerged during the 16th or 17th century as a locational name, indicating a person who hailed from a specific town or village.

One possible derivation of Janofsky is from the Polish word "janów," which means "John's place" or "John's town." This suggests that the original bearer of the name or their ancestors may have resided in a settlement associated with someone named John or a variation of that name.

Another theory traces the name's roots to the German word "Johannsdorf," which translates to "John's village." This connection could indicate that the name originated among German-speaking communities in Eastern Europe or that it underwent linguistic assimilation over time.

In the early historical records, variations of the spelling can be found, such as Janowsky, Yanofsky, and Janowski. These spellings reflect the phonetic adaptations that occurred as the name traveled across different regions and languages.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name Janofsky can be found in the parish records of a small village in the Galicia region (now part of modern-day Poland and Ukraine) from the late 17th century. The record mentions a family by the name of Janofsky residing in the area.

Historically, there have been several notable individuals bearing the Janofsky surname. For example, Shmuel Janofsky (1832-1903) was a renowned rabbinical scholar and author from the Galicia region. His literary works on Jewish law and ethics were widely influential in Eastern European Jewish communities.

Another noteworthy figure was Yakov Janofsky (1865-1938), a Russian-born painter and art educator known for his vibrant depictions of Jewish life in Eastern Europe. His paintings are featured in several museums and galleries across the world.

In the 19th century, a prominent Janofsky family resided in the city of Lviv (then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), where they owned a successful textile business. One member of this family, Isaac Janofsky (1846-1921), was a respected philanthropist and community leader.

Additionally, the name Janofsky appears in some historical records related to the Polish resistance during World War II. A member of the resistance named Tadeusz Janofsky (1919-1945) was recognized for his bravery in aiding the evacuation of civilians from Warsaw during the Warsaw Uprising.

While the surname Janofsky is not as widespread as some other Eastern European names, it has left its mark on history through the contributions of individuals from various walks of life, reflecting the diverse experiences and backgrounds of those who have borne this name over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Janofsky

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

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

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

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