Skip to main content

Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • North German and Dutch : from a pet form of the personal name Johan (see John).
  • English : from a medieval pet form of the personal name Jehan (see John).
  • English : in some cases, perhaps from Old Norse Anki, a pet form of a personal name with the first element Arn-, shortened from arnar, the genitive singular of ǫrn ‘eagle’.

Subscribe to Family Education

Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning.

Subscribe