Daily AncestorJack
Jack was a nickname for John in American records of the 1700s and 1800s.
Jack comes from medieval forms such as Jankin, a pet form of John, which explains why it looks so unlike the name. Lists of 18th and 19th century nicknames also give it for Jackson.
Many records were made with the name a person went by, so look for Jack as well as John in indexes. Check other details before treating them as one man.
As seen in a recordChurch burial register, 1822; his gravestone reads John
Jack Inskeep, aged 67, buried April 13, 1822
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Jack." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/nicknames/jack. Last checked 2026-10-15.