Jost
A German surname usually derived from the given name Justus or Jodocus, both associated with the idea of “justice” or “the just one.”
The #8,076 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 75,230 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Jost is generally treated as a short form of German personal names such as Justus and Jodocus. Through Latin Justus, the name ultimately carries the sense of “just,” “upright,” or “righteous.” In some records and older scholarship, Jost is also connected with Jodocus, a medieval saint’s name that became common in German-speaking areas.
History
The surname is especially associated with German-speaking regions, and it also appears in Swiss and Alsatian material. Older surname writers regularly list Jost alongside related forms like Just, Yost, and Justus, showing how the same Christian given name produced several surnames. In English-language records, Yost is a common variant influenced by spelling and pronunciation.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older lexicographers often grouped Jost with both Just and Justus, showing how a single saintly name could branch into several surnames with different spellings.
From the historical record
“JONATHAN. (Heb.) The gift of the Lord JOSCELIN. A diminutive from Jost or Justus, just. JOSEPH. (Heb.) Increase, addition. JOSHUA. (Heb.) The Lord, the Saviour.”
— An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names