Many people who have ancestors from the Czech Republic most likely also discover that they have German roots as well. If you know that your surname is Czech, there is a high chance that you will find it among this list of 35. These names below include several common and popular Czech surnames. Take a look and see if you can find the origin of your surname, and get the chance to learn a little bit about where it came from.
The Origin of Czech Last Names
When you’re looking at how many Czech surnames there are, you will notice that there are thousands. Why so many? Well, the Czech people used several different methods to choose their surnames. This includes occupation, personal characteristics, and place of origin to name a few. Not to mention the variation in last names in female versus male.
The ending of Czech surnames differs slightly based on gender. The best example of this is “Novak” for a boy would be “Novakova” or a girl. The name adopts the female adjective “ova” at the end.
A child would take on their father’s surname, regardless of gender. When a woman marries, they take on their husband’s surname. This is a similar method in many other countries. The only difference is the “ova” ending.
Image: Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
Common Last Names in the Czech Republic
- Adamcik - This is a Czech and Slovak last name that is a derivative of the personal name “Adam.”
- Bartos - This Czech surname has Hungarian and Slovak roots. It’s a form of the personal name “Bartolomaeus.”
- Benes - This is one of the most common Czech family names. It comes from the personal name “Benedikt.”
- Beran - This Czech and Jewish family name was used for someone who had curly hair, or someone who resembled a ram.
- Cech - This is a Slovak and Czech last name that was used for someone who is a native of Bohemia.
- Cermak - This Czech and Slovak name means “redstart” which is a common songbird in Europe.
- Cerny - This Czech surname was used for someone with a dark complexion and black hair. It is also a French habitational name for someone who resides either in “Aisne” or “Essonne.”
- Chalupa - This is a surname with Czech, Slovak, and Polish roots. It is a name for a cottager.
- Dvorak - This is a Czech surname that was used for someone who was a rich farmer.
- Fiala - This surname is mainly a habitational name or topographic name for someone who lived near violet flowers. It’s both Czech and Slovak.
- Fischer - A Danish, German, and Jewish occupational name for a fisherman.
- Hajek - This is a Czech occupational name for a woodman or a keeper of animals.
- Holub - A Czech, Ukrainian, and Belorussian surname for “dove” which was used for someone who was “mild” or “peaceful.”
- Horak - A Czech and Slovak topographic name for someone who lived in the mountains.
- Hornik - Czech occupational name for a miner or someone who lived in Kutna Hora, a place named for its silver mine.
- Hruska - This surname is a Czech and Slovak occupational name for someone who grows or sells pears.
- Jelinek - This surname means “little deer” in Czech.
- Jezek - a Czech and Slovenian surname that means “hedgehog.”
- Kolar - This occupational surname has several origins besides Czech, including Croatian and Serbian. It means “wheelwright” or “cartwright.”
- Kovar - A Czech and Slovak occupational name for a smith.
- Krejci - This is a Czech occupational name for a tailor.
- Kucera - This is a common Czech surname that was typically used as a nickname for someone with curly hair.
- Marek - This is a Polish and Czech last name that is derived from the personal name “Marek” which means “warlike.”
- Nemec - This is an ethnic name that was used to describe someone who spoke German but didn’t speak Czech.
- Novak - This last name has several origins besides Czech including Slovenian and Hungarian. It was used for a newcomer to a place. It’s derived from the Slavic word for “new.”
- Novakova - This is an alternative female version of “Novak.”
- Novotny - A very common Czech surname that was used to describe a newcomer to a place.
- Pavlovsky - This Czech surname is derived from the personal name “Pavel” and was used to describe someone from Pavel’s household.
- Prochazka - This Czech last name is an occupational name for a traveling butcher.
- Ruzicka - This is a Czech nickname for a “nice little rose.”
- Sedlacek - This is a Czech status name for someone who owned a smaller piece of land than a “Sedlak” or a rich farmer.
- Sedlak - A Czech status name for a farmer who owned a considerably large piece of land.
- Svoboda - This is a Czech word for “freedom.”
- Vesely - A Czech and Slovak nickname for a cheerful person.
Popular Czech Last Names on FamilyEducation: Novak
