Surname Horakova - Meaning and Origin
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Horakova: What does the surname Horakova mean?
The last name Horakova is generally thought to be a Czech or Slovak name derived from the Czech word 'horak', meaning 'mountain climber'. This suggests that those who originally had this surname would have been mountain dwellers or people connected to the mountainous regions in some way.
The Horak family is believed to have originated in the late 14th century in what is now Slovakia, before spreading out across the Czech lands and later throughout Europe. The widespread use of Horakova indicates that this name enjoyed an illustrious history in this region over several centuries.
The most popular version of this surname is Horáková, and those with this change of spelling could have come from a town called Horák, south of Třebič in the Hradec Kralove region.
For those with the Horakova spelling, the roots could also potentially have originated from the regions where it is still found today - Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine, and Greece.
This name could have been given to individuals in the area for several reasons, including an occupation like a shepherd or a hunter, a reference to a physical characteristic or an attribute, or a location where the family lived. Alternatively, it may have come from an old-fashioned nickname referring to a brave soldier, a mountain climber, or a man who lived far away from the castle.
Regardless of the original origin of the surname, it appears to have spread over time and is currently listed as the 263rd most popular name in Czech Republic, and is a common name across much of Eastern Europe.
Order DNA origin analysisHorakova: Where does the name Horakova come from?
The last name Horakova is commonly seen throughout Central and Eastern Europe. More specifically, it is most prevalent in the Czech Republic, as approximately 15,000 people have adopted it as their family name. This is thought to be due to its historical roots in the area—the primary first mention of the Horakova surname was from the region in the 1700’s.
It is also widely spread across Slovakia, Ukraine, and Poland, particularly among small villages which have retained their traditional names. For instance, there is a small municipality in Slovakia called Horakove which has almost certainly drawn its name from the local population of this surname. Occurrences of Horakova are also common in Germany, Austria, and Hungary.
Due to the area’s large diaspora, throughout the 19th and 20th centuries there has been a proliferation of the Horakova name to other parts of Europe as well as the wider world—including the United States, Australia, and Canada. Additionally, it is not uncommon to find people with this last name in Nordic countries like Finland, Sweden, and Denmark, even though historically it is not related to those nations.
All in all, the last name Horakova today is primarily traced to parts of Central and Eastern Europe, but might also be found in countries as far away as the Americas and Australasia.
Variations of the surname Horakova
The surname Horakova has a few variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. One of the most common is Horák, which is the Czech spelling of the name. This spelling can also be seen in different countries, including Slovakia and Poland. It is also seen as Horáček, which is a diminutive form of the name. The German spelling is Horak, which is the same as the original Czech form.
In Slovakia, the surname is often seen in its Eastern Slavic form, Goraŭka or Gorjakov, and in Poland as Gora, Goraj or Gorajka. In Hungary, the surname sometimes appears as Horváth or Gorváth. In some instances, the name may be spelled Gorash or Gorosh in Ukraine and Russia.
Horák is also an original Czech-Jewish surname, which is still occasionally used. The Jewish spelling is often seen as Horav or Horaw. There are also other versions of the surname, such as Hornák, Hornik, and Hurnik, all of which originated from the original Czech version of the name.
Overall, Horakova is an very ancient surname, and its many variants and spellings are proof of its long and varied history. From its original historic forms right up to its modern-day versions, the name has remained strong, adaptable, and timeless.
Famous people with the name Horakova
- Emilie Horakova: Czech cross-country skier who competed in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
- Miloslav Horak: Czech former ice hockey player and coaching figure who won several world and European titles between 1965 and 1981.
- Frank Horak: Former professional Czech footballer who was part of the Slovakia national football team that finished fourth at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
- Martina Horakova: Czech cross-country skier who won two silver medals at the 1982 World Cup in the women's 30 km race, and was part of the second ever all-female team to win an Olympic cross-country skiing medal.
- Hana Horakova: Czech artistic gymnast and Olympic competitor who won the individual all-around competition at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
- Deana Horakova: Czech artistic gymnast and Olympic competitor who won the team all-around title at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
- Eva Horakova: Czech artistic gymnast and Olympic competitor who won the team competition at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
- Alexander Horak: Czech anthropologist and naturalist who has been researching the dependence of human beings on natural resources and their effects on local populations since 1976.
- Peter Horak: Former professional Czech footballer who played in the top divisions in Czechoslovakia and currently works as a youth academy coach at Sparta Prague.
- Anna Horakova: Czech former tennis player who competed at the European and ITF junior level during the early 2000s.