Show ContentsJenness History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

In the late Middle Ages, French families adopted surnames by the thousands. Jenness appeared first in the former province of Anjou. It was originally a name for a poultry farmer. It is a southern French diminutive form of the surname Gelinier, which is derived from the Old French word "geline", which means "poultry" or "hens".

Early Origins of the Jenness family

The surname Jenness was first found in Anjou, a former county, duchy, and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France.

By the 11th century the family were well established in the region of Anjou and several members were distinctive in their contributions toward the community in which they lived and their efforts were rewarded with lands, titles and letters patent confirming their nobility. Witnessing a donation made by the monks of Marmoutiers, Jean de Gennes, Lord of Gennes, is the first member of the family mentioned in 1095.

In 1144, Etienne de Gennes, Lord of La Motte de Gennes, married Anne de La Faucille and their son, Guillaume, became the Knight of La Motte de Gennes in 1188. Taking part in the Crusades of 1248, Etienne de Gennes, Knight and Lord of La Motte de Gennes, was sent, upon his return, as an Ambassador to the Duke of Bourgogne who authorized the addition of a gold fleur de lys on his Coat of Arms. 1

Early History of the Jenness family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jenness research. Another 222 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1346, 1472, 1473, 1578, 1654 and 1730 are included under the topic Early Jenness History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jenness Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gennes, Jennes, Jenness, Genne, Jenne, Genes, Jenes, Des Gennes, Les Gennes, Les Jennes, Des Jennes and many more.

Early Notables of the Jenness family

More information is included under the topic Early Jenness Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Jenness migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Jenness Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Job Jenness, who landed in New England in 1750 2
Jenness Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • J. H. Jenness who settled in San Francisco in 1852

Contemporary Notables of the name Jenness (post 1700) +

  • John Springsteed Jenness, Manufacturing and Development Executive, New York City
  • Stuart Edward Jenness, Government Official, Ottawa, Ontario
  • Robert Allan Jenness, Canadian Government Official, Ottawa, Ontario


  1. Hozier, Charles D, and Antoine Bachelin-Delforenne. État présent De La Noblesse française (1883-1887): Contenant Le Distionnaire De La Noblesse Contemporaine Et Larmorial général De France, Dapres Les Manuscrits De Ch. D Hozier. Librairie Des Bibliophiles, 1884. Print.
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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