Surname Johnick - Meaning and Origin
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Johnick: What does the surname Johnick mean?
The last name Johnick is a Polish surname with a Jewish origin. It is derived from the biblical name Yohanan, meaning "God is gracious." Its roots can also be found in Hebrew, where "John" or "Yohanan" is the root of many family names.
The name Johnick is believed to be derived from the Slavic suffix "-ik," meaning "little" or "small." It is also believed that the suffix was used to indicate a family relationship, such as indicating a daughter or a son. As a result, the name served as a form of expressing familial love and closeness.
Today, there are many spellings of Johnick, with some more common spellings being Johnik, Jonyk, Yonyk, and Yaniak.
Johnick can also be found in several countries outside of Poland. In Ukraine, it is a popular name, found in several larger cities. In Switzerland and the Netherlands, the name is more commonly spelled Yonik or Yarak. Lastly, in the United States, Johnick is spelled Yank.
For centuries, the Johnick family has been responsible for bringing together cultures and experiences. They have shared their heritage and have left a lasting impact on many places. Through their efforts, they have succeeded in connecting people far and wide.
Order DNA origin analysisJohnick: Where does the name Johnick come from?
The last name Johnick has roots in Lithuania, where it is found most commonly today. The name Johnick comes from two Lithuanian words: "Jonas", which means "John" or "gift of God", and "nickas", which translates to "children". Records show the Johnick surname being recorded in the Lithuanian Jewish community as early as the 16th century.
The Johnick name is still found today — in 2016, over 500 people with the last name lived in Lithuania, making it the 15th most common last name in the country. But it is also found in other parts of the world, in smaller numbers. There are Johnick families in many countries in Eastern Europe such as Latvia, Poland and Germany, as well as in the United States and Canada.
Since leaving Lithuania, the Johnick family has spread out — and with it, the Johnick name. As of 2020, it is estimated that 14,000 people have the last name worldwide, with a large concentration of them living in the United States. The majority of American Johnick's live in Illinois, but they can also be found in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.
The spread of the name Johnick is an example of the lasting impact of Lithuanian Jews who chose to immigrate and start lives elsewhere — today, their name is shared and passed from generation to generation all over the world.
Variations of the surname Johnick
The surname Johnick is an anglicized spelling of the Polish name Janicki. Janicki is a patronymic, derived from the personal name Jan, which is the Slavic form of John. Janicki can also be spelled Janik, Janikiewicz, Janick, Janic, Janicke, Janiczek, Janocik, Janowicz, Ianicki, and Ianik.
The variants of Johnick correspond to various regions, dialects, and eras in which the name is used. In some parts of Poland, Janik has been used since the Middle Ages, and was popular among the nobles. In certain areas of Poland, the name was later changed to Janicki by Polish szlachta. By the 19th century, the use of Janicki and Janik was in decline, and the name became typically replaced by Janiczek, Janic, Janocik, and Janowicz. Over time, Janicki began to take on different variations in other countries, including in English-speaking countries due to immigration and naturalization.
In the United States, the spelling of Johnick is one of the most common variants of the name, which is also spelled as Johnek, Jinick, Yangek, Yannick, Janak, and Janosk. Other American variations include Jonck, Jannick, and Janatsch.
In addition to the variations of Janicki mentioned above, there are other surnames including Jankowski, Janiszewski, Jianic, Janowicz, Janar, Janiak, Yannick, Yannak, and Yannic that may have derived from the Polish surname. A full list of surnames of Polish origin is available online for further investigation.
Overall, the surname Johnick has many spellings, variants, and other surnames of the same origin, depending on specific regions, dialects, and eras in which the name is used.
Famous people with the name Johnick
- Eddie Johnick: Former professional Volleyball player who has won eight national championships.
- Chad Johnick: Professional baseball player who also serves as a hitting coach.
- Sara Johnick: Professional tennis player who won the US Open in 1999.
- Keith Johnick: Film producer and director who has worked on movie projects such as “The Best Man”, “Black Hawk Down”, and “Surfer, Dude”.
- Dave Johnick: Professional golfer and golf instructor who has competed in many professional tournaments.
- Joe Johnick: Professional football player who played in the NFL for six years, as well as for the San Diego Chargers in the USFL.
- Paul Johnick: Award-winning photographer and travel writer.
- Rick Johnick: Award-winning scriptwriter and producer whose credits include “Eyes Wide Shut” and “The Jerk.”
- Arthur Johnick: Online poker player who has won several tournaments and is a regular at major tournaments.
- Justin Johnick: Voice actor and singer who has provided the voices for characters in popular video games and been featured in commercial jingles.