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

Janus, 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 Janus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Janus in America

Janus is the 13903rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Janus surname appeared 2,172 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 Janus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Janus 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 Janus

The surname Janus is of Latin origin, derived from the name of the Roman god Janus, who was the god of beginnings, transitions, and endings. This name was likely adopted as a surname during the medieval period, particularly in regions with strong Roman influences, such as Italy and parts of France.

In ancient Roman mythology, Janus was often depicted as a two-faced god, with one face looking towards the past and the other towards the future. This symbolic representation may have contributed to the adoption of the name as a surname, perhaps indicating a family's connection to transitional periods or their ability to look both ways.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Janus can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Iohannes Ianus, suggesting the name's presence in England during the Norman period.

During the Middle Ages, the name Janus appeared in various forms, such as Ianus, Ianne, and Iané, reflecting the linguistic variations and dialects of the time. Some scholars have also suggested connections between the name Janus and the Latin word "ianua," meaning door or gateway, further emphasizing its symbolic associations with transitions and beginnings.

Notable historical figures with the surname Janus include:

1. Janus Lascaris (c. 1445-1535), a renowned Greek scholar and diplomat who played a significant role in the revival of classical Greek learning in the Renaissance era.
2. Janus Gruterus (1560-1627), a Dutch scholar and writer, best known for his extensive work on ancient Roman inscriptions and manuscripts.
3. Janus Dousa (1545-1604), a Dutch poet, historian, and politician who served as the Lord of Noordwijk and was a prominent figure in the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule.
4. Janus Vitalis (c. 1492-1561), an Italian humanist and philosopher who was a key figure in the intellectual circles of the Renaissance period.
5. Janus Pannonius (1434-1472), a renowned Hungarian Renaissance humanist poet and Bishop of Pécs, considered one of the most important representatives of Hungarian Humanism.

The surname Janus has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout history, such as the town of Janus in Normandy, France, and the village of Janus in the Lubuskie region of western Poland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Janus

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

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

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

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