UK surname

Janda

A Czech and Slovak occupational surname derived from the word "janda," meaning a person who catches birds.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Coventry, Eastbourne and Tendring.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Janda is 176 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

Modern count

170

2016, ranked #21,801

Peak year

2015

176 bearers

Map years

2006 to 2016

Key insights

• The latest modern count shown here is 170 in 2016, ranked #21,801.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7 in 1911.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Map

Janda surname distribution map

The map shows where the Janda surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Janda surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Janda over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year	Period	Count	Rank
1891	historical	1	#34,674
1901	historical	3	#34,063
1911	historical	7	#33,083
1997	modern	85	#28,988
1998	modern	88	#29,131
1999	modern	96	#28,326
2000	modern	93	#28,701
2001	modern	95	#28,101
2002	modern	97	#28,383
2003	modern	99	#27,871
2004	modern	108	#26,741
2005	modern	114	#25,837
2006	modern	119	#25,413
2007	modern	125	#24,987
2008	modern	132	#24,476
2009	modern	147	#23,248
2010	modern	150	#23,482
2011	modern	155	#22,790
2012	modern	168	#21,516
2013	modern	166	#22,075
2014	modern	172	#21,731
2015	modern	176	#21,291
2016	modern	170	#21,801

Geography

Where Jandas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Coventry, Eastbourne, Tendring and Croydon. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank	Parish	Area
1	No data	No data

Top modern areas

Rank	Area	District
1	Coventry 015	Coventry
2	Eastbourne 011	Eastbourne
3	Tendring 002	Tendring
4	Tendring 001	Tendring
5	Croydon 024	Croydon

Forenames

First names often paired with Janda

These lists show first names that appear often with the Janda surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Katarzyna Lesley Iwona Nina Barbara Emma Amandeep Amita Giovanna Priya

Recent male names

Manvir Neal Robin Mark Martin Kenneth Masimba Nicholas Harjit Hardeep

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Janda

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Janda, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Janda surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Janda household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Janda is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Janda is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Janda falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Janda is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: Asian - Indian

This describes the area pattern most associated with Janda, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Origin

Meaning and origin of Janda

The surname Janda is of Czech origin, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages in the region that is now the Czech Republic. The name is derived from the Czech word "janda," which means "jackdaw" or "daw," a type of small black crow. This suggests that the name may have originally been a nickname or descriptive name given to someone who resembled or had characteristics associated with this bird.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Janda can be found in the ancient Czech manuscripts known as the "Registry of Subjects of the Bohemian Crown" from the 14th century. This document, which recorded names and details of individuals across various regions, includes several entries for individuals bearing the surname Janda.

In the 15th century, a notable figure named Jan Janda is mentioned in historical records as a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Kutná Hora, which was a major center of trade and mining during that era. His legacy is still recognized in the region, with a street named after him in the town's historic center.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Janda began to spread beyond its Czech origins, appearing in records and documents across Central Europe, particularly in areas with strong ties to the Kingdom of Bohemia, such as parts of modern-day Germany, Austria, and Poland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name outside of the Czech lands can be found in the "Leibitzer Codex," a collection of legal documents from the town of Leibitz (now Lubice, Poland) dating back to the early 17th century. This document mentions a certain Matej Janda, who was involved in a land dispute with another local resident.

In the 18th century, the surname Janda gained further recognition with the birth of Josef Janda (1730-1799), a renowned Czech sculptor and woodcarver who created intricate works for churches and nobility across Bohemia and beyond. His most famous creations include the ornate wooden altars and pulpits in the Church of St. James in Prague's Old Town.

As the Janda surname spread and became more prevalent, it also gave rise to various place names and derivatives. For example, the village of Jandova Ves in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic is believed to have been named after an early settler or landowner with the surname Janda.

Throughout history, the Janda surname has been associated with notable individuals across various fields, including the arts, sciences, and politics. Some examples include the Czech composer Ludvík Janda (1876-1957), the Polish politician and diplomat Jan Janda (1920-2006), and the Czech physicist and academic Jaroslav Janda (1939-2021).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Janda surname: questions and answers

How common is the Janda surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 170 in 2016. That gives Janda a modern rank of #21,801.

What does the Janda surname mean?