This article was written according to
the article Jak vznikala nase prijmeni (How did our surnames
come into being) in Moldanova, Dobroslava :Nase prijmeni,
Prague 1983 and completed by the results of personal research.
There are more than 40,000 variations of Czech surnames. If were
taken into consideration, that the whole Czech Republic has 10
million inhabitants, it would mean, that in case of the equal
distribution, some 250 inhabitants incl. children would account
for one specific surname.
But the situation is in fact different . Some surnames are more
or less common, some (and they have majority) are rare and are
connected only with few families.
First twenty frequent surnames cover 6,92 per cent of total population.
First fourty frequent surnames account already 10,18 per cent
and
First 100 surnames belong to 17,18 per cent of all Czech population.
I. THE ORIGIN OF CZECH SURNAMES
a) A Newcomer to a Village.
The most common family name in Bohemia and Moravia is the surname
NOVAK (if translated into English, it could sound NEWMAN)
.There is more than 1 per cent of our population (100 Thousands
people) who have this family name. It was given by the fact, that
the novelty was the first and most important sign of a newcomer
who came to the closed community of old village inhabitants. The
same ground have similar Czech surnames NOVOTNY, and less
common NOVY or NOVACEK (dimin. form of NOVY
or NOVAK). Who came from a wander was called PROCHAZKA
(from verb to walk).
b) Social Status of the Name Bearer.
The second expressive distinguishing feature was the connection
to land-owners. Besides the serfs (subduted people) there were
free, independent yeomen or freeholders among the.
Thus he was given a surname SVOBODA (a free man) or DVORAK
(a farmer having his free farm - DVUR = court, yard) . The farmer
who had a big piece of a land was called SEDLAK, a smaller
one SEDLACEK, in Moravia the equivalent was LANIK.
Who, according to his social status owned only a small house without
scarcely any land, was called CHALUPA, CHALUPNIK, CHALOUPKA
(the same as cottager) or ZAHRADNIK (from zahrada - a garden).
c) Personal Features of an Individuum.
The personal features contributed to the surnames becoming. There
was an overwhelming fair-haired (xanthochroi) population in our
country in the past and a man with dark hair or face was an exception.
Thus a surname CERNY (and equivalent CERNIK ) or
in German parts SCHWARZ (in the Czech script SVARC)
came into existence. Similar is the origin of surnames describing
the temperamental and physical features of the bearer : VESELY
(a cheerful man), KYSELY (sauer or bitter) , KYSELAKUCERA (a curly) RUZICKA (a small rose, a handful,
nice man). Other examples are HLAVA, HLAVICA = a head,
HUBA - a mouth, BRADA - a chin , NOZKA -
a foot, esp. a small one, NOHA - a big foot etc.
d) First Biblical and Slavic Names
Most of surnames are derived from Christian first names, with
many variations, derivates, formed also by plenty of suffixes.
The most common surnames, derived form a first name are BENES(Benedict)
or MAREK (Marcus). The derivates are for instance BENISEK,
BENAK, BENDA, BENIK, MARECEK, MARKUS, MARKOVIC, MARHOUL, MARES,
MARSALEK (could be derived also from marshall), MARSIK,
MARTISEK. Very common are also family names URBAN, BARTOS
(Bartholomew), HAVEL (Gallus), JANAK, JANECEK, JANOUSEK,
JANDA (John), KASPAR (Caspar), KLIMA (Clemens),
MACH or MACHACEK, MARTINEK (Martin), PESEK, PETRAK
(Peter), VAVRA (Vavrinec- Lawrence), BLAZEK, SIMEK
(Simon), STEPANEK (Stephan), TOMAS or TOMASEK
and VACEK (Venceslaus). Not only biblic names were
used, but also first names of the slavic origin, for instance
JAROS (from Jaromir) , SOBEK (from Sobeslav), STICH
(from Stibor). The commonly used suffixes were:
- a: HAVELA, BARTA, KUBA (Ja-kub), TOMSA (Tom-as)
- s: TOMS (Tom-as), KUBES (Ja-kub)
- s: (in fact -s with hook, pronounced -sh-) PES (Pe-tr),
BURES (Bur-ian), BARTOS (Bart-olomej), VAVRUS
or VAVROUS (Vavr-inec)
- c: (pronounced as -z- in German words like Ziel) KUBEC,
MACA (Ma-tej)
- u: JANU, MACHU (discribing rather the origin like
in Russian ALEXANDROVIC or in anglo-saxon names - SON)
e) Surnames Derived from Localities, Regions, Foreign Countries
There is another sort of Czech surnames, derived from local names.
They are mostly formed by a suffix - ky, or -sky. Here are some
examples: PRAZSKY from Praha, MOHELNICKY from Mohelnice,
KOLINSKY from Kolin, PALACKY from Palacov or BILOVSKY
from Bilov or Bilovec. The surnames derived from villages or towns,
may be also in second grammar case (genitive): SKOUNIC,
or SKAUNITZ, KLECAN (i.e. from Klecany), or may describe
simply an inhabitant from a town: PRAZAN, PRAZAK (inhabitant
of Prague). Here can be included the surnames, indicating a citizen
from foreign country or region: NEMEC (came from Germany),
SLEZAK (from Silesia), MORAVEC (from Moravia) or
HANAK (a Moravian fertile region around Olomouc), SLOVAK
(from the south of Moravia or from Slovakia).
f) Trade and Occupation.
Another big group of sournames is formed by those, derived from
the names of occupation, or of social status (see above as well).
Thus there is a surname of KOVAR (smith), KOLAR
(cart-wright), KADLEC (weaver), RYBAR (fisherman),
but also in German form FISCHER or FISER,MLYNAR
or in German MUELLER resp. MILER or TESAR (carpenter).
Adding a prefix or suffix or its deminutive form has already certain
expressive meaning: NEKOVAR (a smith who is better to keep
out of the way), TESARIK (a carpenter, rather small by
the skill or height).
The social/class status has reflected in the family names MESTAN
(=bourgher), SEDLAK or LANIK (a farmer), CTVRTNIK
(a farmer who owned a quarter of a "lan"), CHALUPNIK
(cottager), SVOBODNIK (a freeman), HRABE (count),
BISKUP (bishop), or STAROSTA ( a mayor), RYCHTAR
( judge or sherif), SAFAR (administrator of a landlord´s
yard). There is a plenty of surnames, based on the military rank
and file: VOJAK, VOJACEK - soldier, but there is also a
Czech name SOLDAN or SOLDAT as well, DRAGOUN,
KAPRALEK (caporal), JENERAL (general).
The artisans received the nicknames, from which the surnames developed
later , also according to their tools. Thus we can find a tailor
named JEHLICKA (= a needle), or a baker ROHLICEK
(a roll), or a butcher JITRNICKA (something like a white
pudding). The examples of other surnames are for instance KLADIVO
(hammer), PALICKA (pounder), KNEDLIK (dumpling),
MOUCKA (flour), BUCHTA (cake) etc.
g) The Nature (Animals and Plants.
The nature provided a lot of insporation for the creation of the
family names. A large group of surnames developed from the names
of various animals, that either resambled the physical or character
feature of a man: MYSKA (mouse), ZABA (frog), JELINEK
(stag), JEZEK (hedgehog), VRABEC (sparrow), VRANA
(crow), or BROUCEK (a dimin. form of a beetle), plants
- FIALA (viola), CHMELA (hops), ZITO (rye),
REPA (beet), MAKOVICKA (poppyhead), JAHODA
(strawberry), SMRCKA (spruce), JEDLICKA (fir), or
DOUBEK (oak).
h) Surnames describing the activity or status.
Very interesting and unusual group of surnames is that formed
from present tense or past participle of verbs or even derived
from full sentences. The example of perfectum: HRABAL (raked)
, KOUPIL, SOUKUP is a surname developed form the trade
of its bearer - a dealer, buyer, NAVRATIL (returned) or
VRZALA (chirked, scraped). Sometimes if a thing was bought
too expensively, the buyer was called DRAHOKOUPIL . Similar
names (nicknames or even jeers) are PRECECHTEL (And-he-wanted-it-after-all),
STOJESPAL (He-slept-standing), ZLAMALJELITO (He-broke-the-black-pudding).
SNEDLDITETIKASI (yes, this surname really exists: He-ate-the-squash-to-the-child)
or even NASRALVHRNEC (plse do not ask me to translate it).
i) Foreign Surnames.
Czech surnames also include the surnames of foreign origin. They
can be found everywhere, where two Bohemian nations have lived
peacefully together for ages. A numerous German surname in our
countries is the surname MUELLER or MILLER. Czech
people adopted German names by mixed intermarriages or when settled
in German speaking region. These are mainly the surnames, describing
their origin (PRAGER, POLITZER) or simply BOEHM
(Czech). Some German names appeared in a prevailing Czech milieu
with a German administrations, clergy or landlords. Former NOVAK
was simply translated to NEUMANN and later again Czechinized
to NAJMAN. SEDLAK thus became BAUER and later
BAJER, KOVAR was changed to SCHMIED and later to
SMID. Besides the German influence also another nationalities
contributed to the surname creation in Bohemia and Moravia. VLACH
(Italian) became later a synonymum for any mason. Original Italian
names are preserved in Czech artist families CHITTUSI and
STRETTI. We can find a few French family names as LE
BREUX, ROHAN, BUTEAU. Their ancestors came here mostly after
the French Revolution or as soldiers with the Napoleonic Army
in the beginning of the 19th century. Common are Polish and some
Hungarian names. Difference between Czech and Slovak names is
not notable in all cases.
II. THE DISTRIBUTION OF CZECH SURNAMES.
Twenty Most Common Czech Surnames
The figures are in pro mille (o/oo)
Surname
1937
1964
1996
The Explanation of the Surname
NOVAK
8,9
8,4
8,1
from the Adj. new. A newly settled neighbor, a newcomer, a newman
NOVOTNY
5,0
5,0
5,5
the same explanation as NOVAK
SVOBODA
5,0
5,9
6,1
a freeman, freeowner, yeoman
DVORAK
4,7
4,5
5,5
a man from a yard, same meaning as SVOBODA, more common in Moravia
CERNY
4,3
4,8
4,6
a dark hair man, a dark skin man
VESELY
3,5
3,2
3,5
Adv. cheerish, cheerful
PROCHAZKA
3,4
4,4
4,5
who came back from the Wander
POKORNY
3,2
2,6
2,7
from Adj. a humble, tame
KUCERA
3,0
3,0
3,0
Adj. curly
JELINEK
2,8
2,8
2,7
a stag, deer
HAJEK
2,6
2,9
2,9
bush, forest
RUZICKA
2,3
2,5
2,4
a little rose
ZEMAN
2,3
2,2
2,3
esquire, a member of lowest nobility with the coat of arms
FIALA
2,2
2,2
1,9
viola
KRAL
2,2
2,2
2,2
from the noun king
BENES
2,1
2,4
2,5
from a first name Benedikt (Benedict)
MAREK
2,0
2,3
2,1
from a first name Markus
CERMAK
1,9
2,1
2,3
a name of the bird (red robin)
HORAK
n.a.
2,2
2,2
a man from the hills, a highlander
KRATOCHVIL
n.a.
n.a.
2,1
an amusing man
ranking 20 - 100, are attached in a separate table.
Explanation of the Table.
1937 The relative frequency of the surname in 1937 (in: Nase
prijmeni)
1964 The relative frequency of the surname in 1964 (in Nase
prijmeni)
1996 The Telephone Directory of Prague, according to my own
calculation.
Frequent Czech Surnames - rank 20 - 100
More Czech Common Surnames
2,1 o/oo
NEMEC
a Czech name for a German, originally from nemy=the deaf
1,8 - 2,0 o/oo
MALY
small by the heigh
POSPISIL
who was in a hurry
SOUKUP
who bought something
URBAN
from a first name
1,5 - 1,7 o/oo
BLAZEK
from a first name BLAZEJ - Beatus or Benedict
DOLEZAL
part. perf. of to lie
FISER, FISCHER
from German name, fisher - Czech equivalent RYBAR
KADLEC
occupation - weaver
KOLAR
occupation - cardwright
KOPECKY
who originated in hills
KRIZ
from cross
MARES
from a first name Marek - Marcus
MASEK
from a first nme MACH, Matthew
POLAK
Czech name for a Pole
SEDLACEK
dimin. form of SEDLAK - a farmer
STASTNY
from adj. - happy, FELIX
TUMA
from a first name TOMAS - Thomas
VANEK
from a first name VACLAV - Venceslaus
1,3 - 1,5 o/oo
BLAHA
from a first name BLAZEJ - Beatus or Benedict
DUSEK
from a first name Duchoslav, duse = soul
HRUSKA
a pear
JANDA
from a first name Jan - John
KOHOUT
a cock
MATOUSEK
from a first name Matous - Mattew
MORAVEC
from a name of a province of Morava, who came from
MUELLER
holder of a mill
RIHA
from a first name Rehor - Gregorius
STRNAD
a name of a bird - bunting
SYKORA
a birdīs name - tit
SIMEK
from a first name Simon
SMID, SMIDA
a smith
STEPANEK
from a first name Stepan - Stephen
TICHY
an attribute - silent
VACEK
from a first name Vaclav
VLCEK
a little Wolf
1,0 - 1,3 o/oo
BARTOS
from a first name Barta, Bartolomej, Bartolomeus
BERAN
a ram, shepheard, hard as ramīs horn, stubborn
HAVLICEK
from a first name Havel - Gallus
HOFFMANN(HOFMAN)
a German word for a farmer from a lordīs farmstaed, a free farmer
NEUMANN, NEUMAN, NAJMAN
a German word for a newcomer
STANEK
from a first name Stanislav
VALENTA
from a personal name Valentin
VAVRA
from a first name Vavrinec - Laurentius
BENDA
from a first name Benedict
HOLUB
a name of a bird - pigeon
HRUBY
a adj. coarse, crude
MUSIL
particip. perf. from a verb must
SOUCEK
a knot
BROZ
from a first name Ambroz - Ambrosius
BURES
from a first name Burian
CECH
a newcomer from Bohemia, name of inhabitant of Cechy
CERVENKA
who is red in face
CIZEK
a birdīs name - ...
HAVEL
a first name Gallus
HLAVACEK
from a noun hlava - head
JANECEK
from a first name Jan
JANOUSEK
from a first name Jan
JEZEK
a hedge-hog
KOVAR
a smith
KOVARIK
dimin. form of kovar - smith
KRAUS
from a German adj. curly
MACHACEK
from a first name Mach - Matthew
MARTINEK
from a first name Martin
PESEK, PESKA, PESKO
from a first name Petr- Peter
SULC, SCHULZ
the lordīs administrator of a village, from German, judge
ZELENKA
from adj. zeleny - green
KASPAR
from a first name Caspar or who makes a fool of s.b.
KLIMA
from a first name Klement - Clemens
KREJCI
a tailor
MATEJKA
from a first name Matej - Mattew
NAVRATIL
part. perf. of a verb to come back, to return, who returned
NEMECEK
a dimin. form of Nemec = see above
RICHTER, RICHTER, RYCHTR, RYCHTAR
the lordīs administrator of a village, from German, judge
