Czech Last Names

These Czech last names include the everyday Novák and Svoboda as well as trades, animals, plants and nicknames like Kovář, Liška, Jahoda and Veselý, listed A to Z with meanings so you can read the story inside each name.

300 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Adámek

Little Adam

B

Bárta

From Bartoloměj (Bartholomew)
Barták

From Bartoloměj (Bartholomew)
Bartoš

From Bartoloměj (Bartholomew)
Bartůněk

Little Bartoloměj (Bartholomew)
Bečka

Barrel
Bednář

Cooper, barrel maker
Bělohlávek

Little white head
Beneš

From Benedikt (Benedict)
Beran

Ram (male sheep)
Bílý

White, fair-haired
Bláha

Possibly from Blažej or blahý, blessed
Blažek

From Blažej (Blaise)
Bohatý

Rich
Borovička

Juniper; juniper brandy
Brabec

Sparrow
Bradáč

Bearded one
Bříza

Birch
Brož

From Ambrož (Ambrose)
Brožek

Little Ambrož (Ambrose)
Buchta

Sweet bun
Bureš

Possibly from the given name Burian
Burian

Weed, burdock; also a given name

C

Čapek

Little stork (čáp)
Čapka

Cap
Čech

Czech
Čermák

Redstart (bird); reddish one
Černohorský

Of the black mountain
Černý

Black, dark-haired
Chalupa

Cottage, hut
Charvát

Croat
Chlupáč

Hairy one
Chudoba

Poverty; poor man
Chytrý

Clever
Čížek

Siskin (bird)

D

Dlouhý

Long, tall
Dobeš

From Dobroslav
Dobiáš

From Tobiáš (Tobias)
Dohnal

One who caught up
Doležal

One who lay about; idle person
Dostál

One who stood firm or kept his word (dostát)
Doubrava

Oak grove
Drozd

Thrush (bird)
Dub

Oak
Dušek

Little soul (duše)
Dvořáček

Little courtier or manor worker
Dvořák

Manor worker or courtier (dvůr, court)

F

Fiala

Violet (flower)
Fišer

Fisherman, from German Fischer
Formánek

Little carter, wagoner

H

Hájek

Little grove (háj)
Hanák

Person from the Haná region
Hanuš

From Jan (John)
Hašek

From Havel or Hanuš
Havel

From Havel (Gallus)
Havlíček

Little Havel (Gallus)
Havlík

Little Havel (Gallus)
Havránek

Little rook (bird)
Heřman

From Heřman (Herman)
Hladík

Smooth one
Hladký

Smooth
Hlava

Head
Hlaváč

Big-headed one
Hlaváček

Little head; also adonis flower
Hofman

Court servant, from German Hofmann
Holeček

Little lad; possibly little bare one
Holub

Pigeon, dove
Holý

Bare, bald
Hora

Mountain
Horáček

Little highlander
Horák

Highlander, hill dweller (hora)
Hořejší

Upper one; one living higher up
Horký

Hot
Hrabě

Count (nobleman)
Hrdlička

Turtledove
Hrdý

Proud
Hrnčíř

Potter
Hrubeš

Coarse or big one
Hrubý

Coarse, big, rough
Hruška

Pear
Hubáček

Little mouth
Hudec

Fiddler, musician
Hudeček

Little fiddler
Husák

Gander; goose keeper

J

Jablonský

From a place such as Jablonec, apple
Jahoda

Strawberry
Jakeš

From Jakub (Jacob)
Janáček

Little Jan (John)
Janda

From Jan (John)
Janů

Jan's; of John
Jaroš

From Jaroslav
Jedlička

Little fir tree
Jelen

Deer, stag
Jelínek

Little deer (jelen)
Jeřábek

Hazel grouse; little crane
Jindra

From Jindřich (Henry)
Jindrák

From Jindřich (Henry)
Jirásek

Little Jiří (George)
Jireš

From Jiří (George)

K

Kadeřábek

Little curly one
Kadlec

Weaver
Kafka

Jackdaw, from kavka
Kalina

Guelder rose
Kalous

Long-eared owl
Kašpar

From Kašpar (Caspar)
Kavka

Jackdaw
Klíma

From Kliment (Clement)
Klouček

Little lad, boy
Kníže

Prince
Knížek

Little prince
Kočí

Coachman
Kočka

Cat
Kohout

Rooster
Koláček

Little pastry
Kolář

Wheelwright
Kolařík

Little wheelwright
Kolman

Possibly from German Kohlmann, charcoal man
Kolouch

Fawn
Konečný

Final; one living at the end
Kopal

One who dug; digger
Kopecký

Of the hillock (kopec)
Kopřiva

Nettle
Kos

Blackbird
Kostka

Little bone; cube
Kotek

Kitten
Koubek

From Jakub (Jacob)
Koudelka

Little tow of flax fibre
Kovanda

Possibly from kovat, to forge
Kovář

Smith
Kovářík

Little smith
Kozel

Billy goat
Koželuh

Tanner
Kožešník

Furrier
Král

King
Kramář

Shopkeeper, peddler
Kratina

Short one
Krátký

Short
Kratochvíl

Pastime, amusement
Krejčí

Tailor
Kříž

Cross
Křížek

Little cross
Kroupa

Hailstone; groats
Krupička

Little groats; small hailstone
Kubát

From Jakub (Jacob)
Kubeš

From Jakub (Jacob)
Kubíček

Little Jakub (Jacob)
Kučera

Curly-haired one
Kudrna

Curl; curly-haired one
Kulhánek

Little limping one

L

Lebeda

Orache (plant)
Lesák

Forest dweller
Lípa

Linden tree
Liška

Fox
Lukáš

From Lukáš (Luke)
Luňák

Kite (bird of prey)

M

Mach

From Matěj or Matouš (Matthew)
Mácha

Possibly from Matěj (Matthias)
Macháček

Little Mach, from Matěj
Machala

Possibly from Michal (Michael) or Matěj
Malina

Raspberry
Malý

Small
Marek

From Marek (Mark)
Mareš

From Marek (Mark)
Martinů

Martin's; of Martin
Mašek

From Matěj or Matouš (Matthew)
Matějíček

Little Matěj (Matthias)
Matějka

From Matěj (Matthias)
Matoušek

Little Matouš (Matthew)
Matys

From Matyáš (Matthias)
Medvěd

Bear
Mikeš

From Mikuláš (Nicholas)
Mikulášek

Little Mikuláš (Nicholas)
Mlčoch

Silent one
Mlejnek

Little mill
Mlejnský

Of the mill
Mlynář

Miller
Moravec

Moravian
Moudrý

Wise
Mráz

Frost
Mrázek

Little frost
Musil

One who had to; one forced
Myslivec

Gamekeeper, hunter

N

Navrátil

One who returned
Nedbal

Careless one
Němec

German
Nosek

Little nose
Novák

Newcomer, new settler
Novosad

New orchard
Novotný

New settler, newcomer
Nový

New

O

Ondráček

Little Ondřej (Andrew)
Orel

Eagle
Oříšek

Little nut

P

Paleček

Little thumb; Tom Thumb
Pavlík

Little Pavel (Paul)
Pavlů

Pavel's; of Paul
Pekař

Baker
Pešek

Little Petr (Peter)
Petr

From Petr (Peter)
Petráček

Little Petr (Peter)
Petrák

From Petr (Peter)
Petrů

Petr's; of Peter
Pláteník

Linen weaver
Pokorný

Humble, meek
Polák

Pole
Polívka

Soup
Pomahač

Helper
Pospíchal

One who hurried
Pospíšil

One who hurried
Potůček

Little brook
Pražák

Person from Prague
Procházka

A walk; wanderer
Ptáček

Little bird
Pták

Bird

R

Řezník

Butcher
Richter

Judge, from German
Říha

Possibly from Řehoř (Gregory)
Rus

Russian or Ruthenian
Růžička

Little rose
Rybář

Fisherman
Rybníček

Little pond
Rychlý

Fast, quick
Rys

Lynx

S

Šebek

From Šebestián (Sebastian)
Šebesta

From Šebestián (Sebastian)
Šedivý

Grey-haired
Sedláček

Little farmer (sedlák)
Sedlák

Farmer, peasant
Ševčík

Little shoemaker
Šíma

From Šimon (Simon)
Šimek

From Šimon (Simon)
Šimůnek

Little Šimon (Simon)
Šindelář

Shingle maker
Sklenář

Glazier
Škoda

Pity; damage
Skřivánek

Little lark
Sládek

Brewer
Slavík

Nightingale
Slezák

Silesian
Slovák

Slovak
Smetana

Cream
Šmíd

Smith, from German Schmied
Šnajdr

Tailor, from German Schneider
Sochor

Crowbar, lever
Sokol

Falcon
Soukeník

Cloth maker
Soukup

Co-purchaser, partner in buying
Sova

Owl
Šrámek

Little scar
Staněk

From Stanislav
Starý

Old
Šťastný

Lucky, happy
Stehlík

Goldfinch
Štěpánek

Little Štěpán (Stephen)
Straka

Magpie
Studený

Cold
Suk

Knot in wood
Šulc

Village magistrate, from German Schulz
Šváb

Swabian; also cockroach
Svatoš

From Svatoslav or svatý, holy
Švec

Shoemaker
Švestka

Plum
Svoboda

Freedom; a free man
Sýkora

Great tit (bird)

T

Teplý

Warm
Tesař

Carpenter
Tichý

Quiet
Toman

From Tomáš (Thomas)
Tomášek

Little Tomáš (Thomas)
Tomek

Little Tomáš (Thomas)
Tůma

From Tomáš (Thomas)

U

Uher

Hungarian
Urban

From Urban

V

Vacek

From Václav (Wenceslas)
Vaculík

Little Václav (Wenceslas)
Valenta

From Valentin (Valentine)
Vaněk

From Václav or Jan
Vašek

From Václav (Wenceslas)
Vašíček

Little Václav (Wenceslas)
Vávra

From Vavřinec (Lawrence)
Veselý

Merry, cheerful
Vítek

Little Vít (Vitus)
Vlach

Italian; Vlach
Vlasák

Long-haired one
Vlček

Little wolf
Vlk

Wolf
Vodička

Little water
Vojtíšek

Little Vojtěch (Adalbert)
Vondra

From Ondřej (Andrew)
Vondráček

Little Ondřej (Andrew)
Vrabec

Sparrow
Vrána

Crow
Vrba

Willow

Z

Zahradník

Gardener
Zajíc

Hare
Zedník

Bricklayer, mason
Zelenka

Little green one
Zelený

Green
Zeman

Yeoman, minor landowner
Zikmund

From Zikmund (Sigismund)

Generate random czech surnames

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Results (6)

Kubát

From Jakub (Jacob)
Polák

Pole
Matoušek

Little Matouš (Matthew)
Šíma

From Šimon (Simon)
Hofman

Court servant, from German Hofmann
Barták

From Bartoloměj (Bartholomew)

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Trades, animals and plants in Czech last names

Read down the list and you will see how many Czech names are ordinary nouns. Trades are everywhere: Kovář is a smith, Tesař a carpenter, Mlynář a miller, Pekař a baker, Řezník a butcher, Sládek a brewer, Hrnčíř a potter and Zedník a bricklayer. A village could be described almost entirely through these names, and many also appear in smaller forms, so Kovář gives Kovářík, and Mlejnek comes from a colloquial word for a little mill.

Animals and plants form another large group. Vlk is wolf, Liška fox, Zajíc hare, Beran ram, Kohout rooster and Sokol falcon, while birds give Vrána (crow), Straka (magpie), Sova (owl) and Kavka (jackdaw), the name Franz Kafka wrote with an f. Trees and fruit add Dub (oak), Lípa (linden), Vrba (willow), Bříza (birch), Jahoda (strawberry) and Švestka (plum). Even food shows up, with Buchta, a sweet bun, and Koláček, a small filled pastry.

Nicknames, neighbours and old spellings

Many names began as descriptions of a person. Dlouhý means tall, Krátký short, Tlustý fat, Holý bald, Bílý white, Černý black, Zelený green, Tichý quiet, Veselý cheerful, Rychlý quick and Chytrý clever. These adjective names end in -ý, and the feminine form usually ends in -á, so Veselý becomes Veselá rather than taking -ová. Knowing this one rule helps you avoid a common mistake when you give a Czech name to a woman.

Other names point to neighbours. Němec means German, Uher Hungarian, Charvát Croat, Vlach Italian or Romance speaker, Šváb Swabian and Slovák, naturally, Slovak. Centuries of contact with German speakers also left German names respelled the Czech way: Šulc from Schulz, Šmíd from Schmid, Šnajdr from Schneider and Fišer from Fischer. A small group of names ending in -ů, like Martinů, Janů and Petrů, are old genitive plurals, roughly meaning of the Martins.

The best known names and search tips

The names you will hear most in the Czech Republic include Novák, Svoboda, Novotný, Dvořák, Černý, Procházka, Kučera, Veselý, Horák and Němec. Kučera means curly-haired and Horák a highlander. Several of the most familiar names in Czech culture also appear in the list, including Čapek (a small stork), Smetana (cream), Havel (the Czech form of the saint's name Gallus) and Janáček, a name built on Jan, the Czech form of John.

The search box ignores diacritics, so Dvorak finds Dvořák and Ruzicka finds Růžička, which saves you hunting for the háček and the ring on a keyboard. It also searches meanings, so typing smith, fox or miller pulls up every name built on that word. The letter bar files names by their base letter, which means Č, Ř and Š names sit with C, R and S here, even though Czech dictionaries give them separate sections.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common Czech last names?

Novák is usually first, followed by Svoboda, Novotný, Dvořák, Černý, Procházka, Kučera, Veselý, Horák and Němec. For women the same names appear as Nováková, Svobodová and so on, and adjective names like Novotný and Černý become Novotná and Černá.

Why do so many Czech names describe trades?

When surnames became fixed in the Czech lands, especially under Habsburg rules from the late 1700s, people were often identified by their work. A village smith, miller or brewer passed the description down, and it became a family name. That is why Kovář, Mlynář and Sládek remain so widespread.

Are Czech last names and Slovak names the same?

Many overlap, since the languages are close, but spelling differs. Czech uses ř and ů, which Slovak lacks, so a Czech Kovář corresponds to a Slovak Kováč, and Slovak adds letters like ô and ä. Some names are shared exactly, such as Novák, which is common in both countries.

Why does Kafka look German if it is Czech?

Kafka comes from the Czech kavka, jackdaw, but it was written in a German-influenced spelling with an f, which was common in the Habsburg period. Franz Kafka's father used a jackdaw as the emblem of his business in Prague, a nod to the meaning of the name.