UK surname
A variant of the surname Jennings, possibly derived from a place name.
In the 1881 census there were 62 people recorded with the Jannings surname, ranking it #24,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2, ranked #38,825, down from #24,843 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Latchingdon, Snoreham and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jannings is 192 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 96.8%.
1881 census count
62
Ranked #24,843
Modern count
2
2016, ranked #38,825
Peak year
1891
192 bearers
Map years
2
1851 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Jannings surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Jannings surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 121 | #15,049 |
| 1861 | historical | 58 | #26,585 |
| 1881 | historical | 62 | #24,843 |
| 1891 | historical | 192 | #15,383 |
| 1901 | historical | 42 | #29,487 |
| 1911 | historical | 36 | #29,370 |
| 1997 | modern | 3 | #38,317 |
| 1998 | modern | 2 | #38,550 |
| 1999 | modern | 3 | #38,318 |
| 2000 | modern | 1 | #38,790 |
| 2001 | modern | 1 | #38,647 |
| 2002 | modern | 1 | #38,709 |
| 2003 | modern | 1 | #38,735 |
| 2004 | modern | 1 | #38,771 |
| 2005 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 2006 | modern | 1 | #38,879 |
| 2009 | modern | 1 | #38,998 |
| 2010 | modern | 1 | #39,020 |
| 2012 | modern | 1 | #38,986 |
| 2013 | modern | 3 | #38,526 |
| 2014 | modern | 1 | #39,020 |
| 2015 | modern | 1 | #39,021 |
| 2016 | modern | 2 | #38,825 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Latchingdon, Snoreham, Lambeth, Pakenham and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolverhampton | Staffordshire |
| 2 | Latchingdon, Snoreham | Essex |
| 3 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 4 | Pakenham | Suffolk |
| 5 | St Giles Camberwell | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Jannings surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Jannings, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Jannings surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Jannings household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Jannings is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Jannings is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Jannings, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Jannings has its origins in Germany, tracing back to the late medieval period around the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Germanic personal name "Jan" or "Johann," which itself stems from the Hebrew name "Yohanan" meaning "Yahweh is gracious."
The earliest recorded instances of the Jannings surname can be found in various German census records and municipal registers from the 1400s and 1500s. It was particularly prevalent in the northern regions of Germany, such as Lower Saxony and Westphalia, where variations like "Jannynges" and "Janninge" were also documented.
One notable historical figure bearing the Jannings surname was Conrad Jannings, a German theologian and humanist scholar who lived from 1510 to 1567. He was a prominent figure during the Protestant Reformation and served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg.
In the 17th century, the Jannings surname began to appear in various church records and parish registers across other parts of Europe, indicating the migration and spread of families with this name. For instance, there are records of a Johann Jannings, born in 1624 in the town of Lübeck, which was then part of the Holy Roman Empire.
The Jannings surname can also be linked to certain place names in Germany, such as the village of Janningshausen in the state of Hesse. It is possible that some branches of the Jannings family may have derived their name from this or similar locations.
During the 19th century, the Jannings surname gained further prominence with the birth of Emil Jannings in 1884. He was a renowned German actor and the first to be awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor, in 1928 and 1929, for his performances in the films "The Last Command" and "The Way of All Flesh."
Other notable individuals with the Jannings surname include Heinrich Jannings, a German politician and member of the Reichstag in the late 19th century, and Karl Jannings, a German writer and journalist who lived from 1857 to 1917.
Overall, the surname Jannings has a rich history deeply rooted in German heritage, with various branches and notable figures emerging across different periods and regions over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jannings surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Suffolk leads with 27 Jannings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.65x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Suffolk | 27 | 36.65x |
| Middlesex | 9 | 1.49x |
| Lancashire | 7 | 0.98x |
| Surrey | 7 | 2.38x |
| Essex | 4 | 3.35x |
| Midlothian | 3 | 3.70x |
| Sussex | 3 | 2.94x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.48x |
| Wiltshire | 1 | 1.87x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 7 Jannings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.12x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Camberwell | 7 | 18.12x |
| Ipswich St Margaret | 7 | 280.00x |
| Ipswich St Mathew | 7 | 339.81x |
| Bury St Edmunds St Mary | 4 | 289.86x |
| Kirkdale | 4 | 33.14x |
| Everton | 3 | 13.12x |
| Preston | 3 | 168.54x |
| South Leith | 3 | 32.89x |
| Walsham Le Willows | 3 | 1200.00x |
| Walthamstow | 3 | 69.77x |
| Hackney London | 2 | 5.90x |
| Hampstead London | 2 | 21.23x |
| Haughley | 2 | 1111.11x |
| Ixworth | 2 | 952.38x |
| Paddington London | 2 | 8.99x |
| Bromley London | 1 | 7.52x |
| Corsham | 1 | 128.21x |
| Cotton | 1 | 1000.00x |
| Deptford St Paul | 1 | 6.29x |
| Pakenham | 1 | 500.00x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 3.10x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 2.05x |
| Theydon Bois | 1 | 555.56x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Jannings surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Jannings surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Jannings households.
FAQ
In 1881, 62 people were recorded with the Jannings surname. That placed it at #24,843 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 2 in 2016. That gives Jannings a modern rank of #38,825.
A variant of the surname Jennings, possibly derived from a place name.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Jannings bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.