NameCensus.

UK surname

Janssens

A Dutch surname derived from the personal name Janssen, meaning "son of Jan".

In the 1881 census there were 12 people recorded with the Janssens surname, ranking it #31,914 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 143, ranked #24,505, up from #31,914 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ipswich, Kensington and Chelsea and Richmond upon Thames.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Janssens is 143 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1091.7%.

1881 census count

12

Ranked #31,914

Modern count

143

2016, ranked #24,505

Peak year

2016

143 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Janssens had 12 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,914 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016, ranked #24,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 12 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Janssens surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Janssens surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Janssens 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
1851 historical 1 #33,412
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1881 historical 12 #31,914
1891 historical 7 #33,665
1901 historical 11 #32,907
1911 historical 12 #32,302
1997 modern 99 #27,039
1998 modern 112 #25,856
1999 modern 110 #26,315
2000 modern 107 #26,700
2001 modern 110 #25,900
2002 modern 117 #25,494
2003 modern 112 #25,948
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 109 #26,583
2006 modern 107 #27,179
2007 modern 110 #27,087
2008 modern 105 #28,180
2009 modern 112 #27,685
2010 modern 124 #26,582
2011 modern 124 #26,367
2012 modern 130 #25,559
2013 modern 130 #26,074
2014 modern 136 #25,452
2015 modern 134 #25,607
2016 modern 143 #24,505

Geography

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Where Janssens' 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 Ipswich, Kensington and Chelsea, Richmond upon Thames, Inverness West Rural and Pembrokeshire. 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 Ipswich 005 Ipswich
2 Kensington and Chelsea 012 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Richmond upon Thames 001 Richmond upon Thames
4 Inverness West Rural Highland
5 Pembrokeshire 011 Pembrokeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Janssens

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Janssens

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Janssens, 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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Janssens surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Janssens household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Janssens is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Janssens is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Janssens falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Janssens is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Janssens

The surname Janssens originated in the Netherlands and Belgium during the late Middle Ages. It is a patronymic name, derived from the given name Jan, a Dutch form of John. The name was initially written as "Janssen" or "Jansen," meaning "son of Jan."

In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Dutch and Flemish regions saw an influx of surnames, as people began adopting hereditary names. The patronymic suffix "-sen" or "-ssens" was commonly added to the father's given name to create a family name. This practice was prevalent among the Dutch and Flemish communities in the Low Countries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Janssens can be found in the archives of the city of Antwerp, Belgium, dating back to the late 16th century. A document from 1587 mentions a certain "Pieter Janssens," a merchant residing in the city.

During the 17th century, the Janssens name gained prominence in the Dutch Republic, particularly in the provinces of Holland and Zeeland. Notable individuals with this surname include Cornelis Janssens (1593-1661), a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his portraits and historical scenes.

In the 18th century, the Janssens family established itself as a prominent lineage in the Southern Netherlands (present-day Belgium). Abraham Janssens (1575-1632) was a Flemish Baroque painter renowned for his religious works and mythological scenes, while Victor Honoré Janssens (1658-1736) was a distinguished Belgian sculptor and architect.

As the Dutch and Flemish communities migrated to other parts of Europe and the Americas, the Janssens surname spread across various regions. In the 19th century, Petrus Josephus Janssens (1834-1925) was a Belgian Catholic prelate who served as the Superior General of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) from 1888 to 1909.

Another notable figure was Marcel Janssens (1931-1992), a Belgian composer and conductor who gained international recognition for his orchestral and choral works, including the oratorio "Golgotha."

While the Janssens surname has its roots in the Low Countries, it has since been adopted by families worldwide, particularly in regions with Dutch and Belgian cultural influences.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Janssens families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Janssens surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 7 Janssens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.99x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 7 5.99x
Lancashire 4 2.88x
Hampshire 1 4.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kensington London in Middlesex leads with 4 Janssens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.54x.

Place Total Index
Kensington London 4 61.54x
Moss Side 4 547.95x
Tottenham 3 161.29x
Portsea 1 21.32x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Janssens surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Louisa 2
Catharine 1
Helene 1
Jenny 1
Regine 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Janssens surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Francis 2
Gustave 1
Joseph 1
Louis 1

Top occupations

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 Janssens households.

FAQ

Janssens surname: questions and answers

How common was the Janssens surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12 people were recorded with the Janssens surname. That placed it at #31,914 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Janssens surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016. That gives Janssens a modern rank of #24,505.

What does the Janssens surname mean?

A Dutch surname derived from the personal name Janssen, meaning "son of Jan".

What does the Janssens map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Janssens bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

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.