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

Jent, 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 Jent surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jent in America

Jent is the 17337th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jent surname appeared 1,630 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 Jent.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jent 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 Jent

The surname Jent is believed to have originated in Germany, specifically in the region of Bavaria. It is thought to have derived from the Old German word "gent," which means "to go" or "to wander." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who traveled frequently or was a wanderer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jent can be found in the Bavarian town records of Augsburg, dating back to the 15th century. These records mention a family by the name of Jent residing in the area during that time period.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Hans Jent (1500-1572) was a renowned blacksmith and metalworker in the city of Nuremberg, Bavaria. His intricate and skillful creations were highly sought after by the local nobility and wealthy merchants.

The name Jent also appears in various historical documents from other parts of Germany, such as the church records of Saxony and the tax registers of Hesse. These records date back to the 17th and 18th centuries, indicating the spread of the name beyond its initial Bavarian roots.

One notable bearer of the Jent surname was Friedrich Jent (1805-1876), a German botanist and explorer. He was instrumental in documenting and cataloging numerous plant species during his expeditions to South America and the Caribbean islands.

Another significant figure was Karl Jent (1872-1935), a German architect and urban planner. He was responsible for designing several prominent buildings and public spaces in cities such as Munich and Berlin during the early 20th century.

In the realm of literature, the name Jent is associated with the German writer and poet Hans Jent (1920-1988). His works explored themes of identity, social issues, and the human condition, earning him critical acclaim within German literary circles.

While the Jent surname originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its earliest roots and historical references can be traced back to the German regions, particularly Bavaria, where it first emerged as a surname centuries ago.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jent

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

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

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

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