The surname Jennings is of English origin. It is a patronymic from the Middle English name ‘Jankyn’, ‘Jenyn’, a diminutive of John. The surname signifies ‘the son of John’. The given name John is derived from the Hebrew name Johanan ‘Jehovah has favoured’ or ‘may Jehovah favour ( this child )’, which was adopted into Latin as Johannes. The name John has enjoyed enormous popularity in the Cristain era, being given in honour of St.John the Baptist, precursor of Christ himself, and of St.John the Evangelist, author of the fourth Gospel, Apostle, fisherman and brother of James; as well as the nearly one thousand saints so named and by twenty three popes who bore this name. It is also the name of several different characters in the Old testament, including one of King David’s ‘mighty men’. It is also a royal name, being born by eight Byzantine emperors and by kings of Hungary, Poland, Portugual, France, and elsewhere. By the beginning of the fourteenth century John rivalled William in popularity and has always been a favourite name. The name dates as far back as the thirteeth century were a Janyn le Breton is recorded …
Coat of arms: Erminie…