2000
#4,384
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,489
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.78
Uncommon Last name
Janes
A patronymic surname derived from the given name Jan or Jane, indicating "son of Jan/Jane."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 10,615 Americans carry the last name Janes. That puts it at #3,733 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 32,290 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Janes surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Janes with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
11K
1 in 32,290
Census rank
#3,733
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.3K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,257 bearers of the surname Janes in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3733rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Janes, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.8%. The next largest groups are Black (7.2%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Janes
The surname Janes has its origins in medieval England, where it was derived from the masculine given name John, which itself is derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning "Graced by God." The name was likely first adopted as a surname in the 12th or 13th century, as the use of hereditary surnames became more widespread among the English population.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Janes surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex in 1195, where a man named William Janes is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records kept by the English Exchequer, providing valuable insight into the names and locations of individuals during that time.
In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Johanes, Jonys, and Jannes, reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. These variations were common before the standardization of English spelling in the 18th century.
The Janes surname was particularly prevalent in the southern counties of England, including Hampshire, Dorset, and Somerset. Some early records include Robert Janes, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset in 1327, and John Janes, who was recorded in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire in 1333.
One notable historical figure bearing the Janes surname was Sir Henry Janes (c. 1540-1608), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1605. Another prominent individual was Edmund Janes (1568-1636), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Archbishop of York from 1628 until his death.
In the 17th century, the surname was found in various parts of England, including London, where a family of Janes were well-known clockmakers. One member of this family, William Janes (1652-1709), was a highly regarded clockmaker who worked in the city.
As the British Empire expanded, the Janes surname spread to other parts of the world, including North America, where it was brought by early settlers from England. One notable American bearing the name was Thomas Holme Janes (1815-1888), a Civil War veteran and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania.
Another individual of note was Sir Hubert Janes (1879-1967), a British civil engineer who played a significant role in the construction of the Aswan Low Dam in Egypt, which was completed in 1902. He was knighted in 1920 for his contributions to the field of engineering.
While the Janes surname has its roots in medieval England, it has since become a globally recognized name, with bearers scattered across various countries and continents. The name's enduring presence serves as a testament to its rich heritage and the diverse journeys of those who have carried it throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Janes
Among Census respondents with the surname Janes, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.8%. The next largest groups are Black (7.2%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Janes bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Janes surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.8% · 7,756
- Black or African American7.2% · 669
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 360
- Two or more races3.6% · 331
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 73
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 68
Timeline
Historical Census data for Janes
Janes appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#4,632
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,659
+170 bearers (+2.3%)
Per 100,000 2.60
Rank movement Down 248 places
2020
#3,733
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,257
+1,598 bearers (+20.9%)
Per 100,000 3.10
Rank movement Up 899 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,384 | 7,489 | 2.78 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,632 | 7,659 | 2.60 | +170 bearers (+2.3%) | Down 248 places |
| 2020 | #3,733 | 9,257 | 3.10 | +1,598 bearers (+20.9%) | Up 899 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Janes surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,632 | #3,733 | 19.4% |
| Count | 7,659 | 9,257 | 20.9% |
| Per 100K | 2.60 | 3.10 | 19.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Janes bearers went from 7,659 to 9,257 (+20.9% change). The surname moved up 899 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,632 to #3,733.
FAQ
Janes surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Janes?
Name Census estimates that about 10,615 living Americans carry the surname Janes. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 32,290 residents.
How common is Janes?
Janes ranks #3,733 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.10 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 9,257 people with the surname Janes. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (10,615), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.10 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Janes.
Has Janes become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Janes went from 7,659 recorded bearers to 9,257. That is an increase of 1,598 (+20.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,632 to #3,733.
What does the Census say about the background of Janes?
Among Census respondents with the surname Janes, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.8%. The next largest groups are Black (7.2%) and Hispanic (3.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Janes in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.8% (7,756 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Janes appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.8%), Black (7.2%), Hispanic (3.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Janes (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Janes mean?
A patronymic surname derived from the given name Jan or Jane, indicating "son of Jan/Jane." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Janes (3.10 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Janes?
If you just want to know how common the surname Janes is, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.