An English and Irish surname the Jennings name comes from the given name of John, including Janyn, Jonyn and Jenyn spellings.

The Irish forms of Jennings are MacSheoinin and MacJonin.

Spelling variations for Jennings include Gennings, Jennyns, Jenyns, Jennynges, Jennins and Jennens.

In England the Jennings families began in the Lancashire region. They have spread to Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Essex, Somerset and the city of London.

Across most of the southern and eastern half of the United States the Jennings surname is popular. The higher percentages are in Virginia, Texas, Ohio, New York, Missouri and Pennsylvania.


Famous: Adams Jennings (professional football player), Henry Jennings (18th century English pirate), John Jennings (race car driver), Hugh A. Jennings (early baseball player in U. S. ), Michael Jennings (English boxer), Waylon Jennings (singer), Peter Jennings (TV news journalist and anchor), Kenneth Jennings (music composer), Humphrey Jennings (English filmmaker) and Francis Jennings (American colonial history expert).