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

Jenison, 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 Jenison surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jenison in America

Jenison is the 36838th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jenison surname appeared 606 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 Jenison.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jenison 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 Jenison

The surname Jenison is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "gene" or "gean," meaning "a ravine" or "a narrow valley," and "ton," signifying "a town" or "a settlement." This suggests that the name may have been initially borne by individuals who hailed from a particular location characterized by a ravine or narrow valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is listed as "Genistone," which is believed to be an early spelling variation of Jenison.

In the 13th century, the name was documented in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire (1273), where it appeared as "Genestone." This spelling variation further reinforces the connection between the name and its potential geographical origins.

One notable individual bearing the Jenison surname was Sir Robert Jenison, a prominent English landowner and military commander who lived during the 14th century. He was knighted for his service in the Hundred Years' War against France.

Another historical figure with the surname Jenison was John Jenison, a scholar and author born in the late 15th century. He is known for his work "De Scriptoribus Britannicis" (On British Writers), a treatise on British literature and authors published in 1541.

In the 16th century, the name was associated with a place called Jenison Hall, located in the county of Lancashire. This further solidifies the geographical connection of the surname.

During the 17th century, a notable individual named William Jenison (1612-1683) held the position of Bishop of Peterborough, serving from 1675 until his death. He was known for his contributions to the Church of England during a turbulent period in English history.

Another historical figure worth mentioning is Sir Thomas Jenison (1637-1706), a prominent lawyer and judge who served as a Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of King William III.

Throughout its history, the Jenison surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Jennison, Jennyson, and Gennison, reflecting the evolution of language and regional dialects over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jenison

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

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

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

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