Justus
A surname from the Latin word for “just” or “righteous,” originally a personal name rather than a family occupation.
The #5,130 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 45,264 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Justus is from Latin justus, meaning “just,” “fair,” or “upright.” As a surname, it usually began as a personal name or baptismal name taken from the Latin adjective, rather than as a place-name or job title. The same root also lies behind names such as Justin and Justine.
History
The name appears in Christian tradition as a personal name, including biblical and early saintly usage, which helped it spread in medieval Europe. In English-speaking records it is comparatively uncommon as a surname, but it turns up in families of continental or Anglicized background and in surname lists where it is treated alongside virtue-based names. Related forms and spelling traditions also appear in German and Dutch records.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Early surname writers sometimes grouped Justus with other “virtue” names like Hope, Mercy, and Loyal, treating it as a personal name that later became hereditary.
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