Surname Janiczek - Meaning and Origin
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Janiczek: What does the surname Janiczek mean?
The last name Janiczek is traced back to a Middle German word "Gonitz", which meant "small town". From that, the Polish variation "Janiczek" was derived. The root of the name is the popular first name "Jan", derived from the Hebrew name "John", meaning "God is gracious". Around the 10th century, there were several settlements named Gonitz in the regions of Tuscany and Lombardy. It is believed that the first Janiczeks were settlers of those lands, which eventually led to the spread of their name throughout Central Europe.
The Janiczek surname is most common in Poland and parts of Ukraine, and is often found in records of various religious, civil, and vital registrations in those countries. In the United States, the surname is most commonly found in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Early Janiczek immigrants who moved to the US mostly came from Galicia and the Kingdom of Poland, leaving in search of better opportunities in America. The most common professions among Janiczeks were in the industrial and agricultural fields. Many Janiczeks were coal miners in Pennsylvania, while others worked as tailors, farmers, and blacksmiths.
Today, the Janiczek name is still renowned in Poland and in the United States. Janiczek individuals have gone on to achieve success in a variety of fields, ranging from business to medicine. Their unique surname is a testament to their hardworking and determined spirit, and their place in history.
Order DNA origin analysisJaniczek: Where does the name Janiczek come from?
The last name Janiczek is of Polish origin and today it is most commonly found in present-day Poland. It is estimated that over 12000 individuals bear the Janiczek surname in Poland; making it a relatively common one. It is also known to be widely spread in many Polish-speaking countries, including Slovakia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Lithuania.
Immigrants from Poland and these places are known to have brought this surname with them to many Western countries like Germany, the UK, USA, Brazil, and Australia, resulting in the proliferation of Janiczek elsewhere as well. This surname is also known to have been adopted by some Jewish families in Poland and used by Polish Jews who immigrated to Israel following World War II.
The name Janiczek is a patronymic derived from the first name Jan, which translates to John in English. It was used to distinguish different branches of a family, and it can sometimes be altered to rendered versions such as Janitschek, Janiczo, Janicz, and Janiczyk. It is worth noting that many Polish Jews used surnames of non-Jewish origin in an attempt to avoid anti-Semitism, which could explain why the surname Janiczek is difficult to track in some parts of Eastern Europe.
Variations of the surname Janiczek
The surname Janiczek is derived from the Czech word “janic”, which means “God is gracious”. It is a popular surname among Czech people and is thus found in various spellings across the world.
Common variants include Jonicek, Jencizek, Jancizek, Janiszak, Janczyk, Yanczyk, Janczak, and Janisko. Other variations include Januszek, Jonisko, Janisek, Yanczak, and Janishak.
In English-speaking countries, the surname can be spelled as Janich, Jenkins, Yanik, Janes, Janicz, Janacek, Janok, Janosik, Janiska, Andris, and Janushak. In German, it can be written as Jentsch, Janizke, Yansen, and Janssen.
In Eastern Europe, other spelled forms are popular, such as Janitssek, Janitsev, Janitsky, and Janikovsky. In Poland, some common spellings are Janiczak, Janicki, Janick, Janczak, Yanczyk, Jan Moroz, and Ianiszewski.
In the United States, the simplest spelling is “Janes” and the variant “Yanis” is also widely used.
In Spain, variants include Janés and Yanés.
Common surnames derived from the same root include Haneczko, Haniczek, Hanik, Hanysz, Hanyz, and Janysek. This wide range of variations and nicknames reflects the widespread popularity of the surname and its permutations.
Famous people with the name Janiczek
- Zuzana Janiczek: a professional Czech rhythmic gymnast, who is the 2016 Rio Olympic Games silver medalist in the group all-around event.
- Zdzisław Janiczek: a Polish senior political figure and Parliament President from 1989 to 1991.
- Marta Janiczek: a Polish pianist and keyboardist from Gdańsk, who is a part of the Polish band Variosee.
- Andrzej Janiczek: a prominent Polish lawyer and business expert from Warsaw and the head of Janiczek Law firm.
- Karolina Janiczek: a Polish-born fashion designer based in London, collaborating with leading fashion brands such as Louis Vuitton and Prada.
- Zbigniew Janiczek: a Polish long distance runner who won three bronze medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
- Sławomir Janiczek: a Polish engineer, scientist and researcher, specializing mainly in the fields of biophysics and entrepreneurship.
- Joanna Janiczek: a Polish classical violinist and teacher, living and working in the United States.
- Wojciech Janiczek: a Polish political scientist, journalist, and political advisor, who was a member of the European Parliament from 2014 to 2019.
- Wieńczysław Janiczek: a Polish landscape painter, known for his watercolor portraits of the Tatra Mountains and the Beskids.