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

Janway, 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 Janway surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Janway in America

Janway is the 78821st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Janway surname appeared 242 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 Janway.

We can also compare 2010 data for Janway 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 Janway

The surname Janway is of English origin, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "gean" and "weg," which translate to "forked way" or "forked path." This suggests that the name originally referred to a person who lived near a forked road or a place where two paths diverged.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Geanwey." This entry indicates that the name existed during the Norman conquest of England and was likely associated with a specific location or landholding at that time.

In the 13th century, the name evolved into various spellings such as "Jeaneway," "Janewey," and "Janway." These variations reflect the regional dialects and the evolving nature of English spelling during that period.

One notable figure bearing the Janway surname was Sir John Janway (c. 1550-1628), an English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers. He played a significant role in the early trading ventures of the East India Company and served as its governor from 1618 to 1619.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Janway (1633-1687), an English Quaker minister and writer. He was a vocal advocate for religious freedom and authored several works, including "A Call from Death to Life" and "A Tender Visitation of Love."

In the 18th century, the Janway surname was associated with several places in England, including Janway's Farm in Hertfordshire and Janway's Lane in Buckinghamshire. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the surname who lived or owned land in those areas.

One noteworthy figure from this period was Elizabeth Janway (1672-1742), a Quaker minister and writer from Yorkshire. She traveled extensively, preaching and promoting Quaker beliefs, and her published works include "A Legacy for the Youth of the Present Generation" and "A Warning to the Unfaithful."

In the 19th century, the name gained prominence with individuals such as Charles Janway (1810-1885), a British architect known for his works in London, including the design of several churches and public buildings.

Throughout its history, the Janway surname has been connected to various locations, occupations, and notable individuals, reflecting its English origins and the diverse paths taken by those who bore this distinctive name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Janway

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

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

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

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