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 Back to [[Czech Republic|Czech Republic Page]]►
+== Introduction to Personal Names  ==
+Many old documents and certificates that surface when searching through family papers will be written in German or Latin. Because of the many languages encountered in Czech records, it is not unusual to see several variations of an ancestor's name depending on the language of the record. An ancestor may appear as ''Wenceslaus'' in his Latin birth record, as ''Wenzel'' in his German marriage record, and as ''Václav'' in the Czech birth records of his children.
+Another example is the Czech name ''Vojtěch''; in German it is ''Albrecht''; in Latin, ''Adalbertus''. Fortunately, not all names differ so markedly. The Latin ''Josephus'' is easily recognized as Czech ''Josef''. A listing of given names with translations in English, Czech, Latin and German is found on the Wiki.
+Surnames may also be affected by the language in which the record was written. Some priests simply translated the surname into the language of the church register. For example, the Czech surname ''Černý'' could be translated to ''Schwarz''. Similarly, ''Nový, Novák, Nováček, Novotný'', and ''Novotníček'' could be translated into German as ''Neumann''.
+Usually surnames were not translated, but simply altered to fit the spelling and grammar of the language used in the parish register. It is not uncommon to see Czech surnames changed according to German spelling rules. Thus we find Čermák - Tschermak, Šebek - Schebek, Havlíček - Hawlitzek. Likewise, German surnames often are seen with Czech spellings: Schultz - Šulc, Schreier - Šrajer, Schmidt - Šmid.
+Grammatically, there are two types of surnames: nouns and adjectives. Surname endings will vary according to the gender of the person. Female surnames are usually feminized with the basic endings: -ová or -á.
+In English some words have different endings depending upon how they are used in a sentence. A few examples of this are they-their-them, he-his-him, and who-whose-whom. This changing of words according to grammatical usage is called inflection. Czech is a Slavic language and as such is extremely inflective. All nouns and adjectives, including names of people and places, are subject to changes that can be a source of confusion to anyone not familiar with this language and their complicated grammar. Here are some examples:
+• manželství mezi Janem Mikuleckým a Anežkou roz. Krplovou = marriage between Jan Mikulecký and Anežka Krplová • Josef, syn Ludvíka Ryby a Františky roz. Sýkorové = Josef, son of Antonín Ryba and Františka Sýkorová • z Prahy = from Praha (Prague), v Praze = in Praha, do Prahy = to Praha
+<br>
 == Surnames  ==
@@ Line 19: / Line 37: @@
 Most adjective surnames end in '''-ý''' for males and '''-á''' for females.
-{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
+{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 |
 ''Male''<br>Černý<br>Novotný<br>Veselý<br>Palacký<br>
 |
 ''Female''<br>Černá<br>Novotná<br>Veselá<br>Palacká<br>
 |}
@@ Line 31: / Line 49: @@
 Other types of adjective surnames end in '''-í''' and in '''-ů'''. These surnames are the same for females as for males.
-{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
+{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 |
 ''Male''<br>Krejčí<br>Jirků<br>
 |
 ''Female''<br>Krejčí<br>Jirků<br>
 |}
@@ Line 45: / Line 63: @@
 Noun surnames end with a consonant or a short vowel (a vowel that doesn't have an accent mark). Noun surnames are feminized by adding the ending '''-ová'''.
-{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
+{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 |
 ''Male''<br>Novák<br>Haneš<br>Bartoš<br>Havlík<br>Krk<br>Šlytr<br>
 |
 ''Female''<br>Nováková<br>Hanešová<br>Bartošová<br>Havlíková<br>Krková<br>Šlytrová<br>
 |}
@@ Line 57: / Line 75: @@
 Surnames that end with an '''-a''', '''-e''', or '''-o''' drop the final letter before adding the '''-ová'''.
-{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
+{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 |
 ''Male''<br>Kučera<br>Homolka<br>Housle<br>Mičko<br>Štýblo<br>
 |
 ''Female''<br>Kučerová<br>Homolková<br>Houslová<br>Mičková<br>Štýblová<br>
 |}
@@ Line 69: / Line 87: @@
 Surnames ending with '''-ě''' are quite uncommon. These usually simply drop the '''-ě''' before adding the '''-ová'''. Some however keep the '''-ě''' and add a '''-t-''' before adding the '''-ová'''.
-{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
+{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 |
 ''Male''<br>Bechyně<br>Vlčiště<br>''but''<br>Ditě<br>Hrabě<br>
 |
 ''Female''<br>Bechyňová<br>Vlčišťová<br><br>Ditětová<br>Hrabětová<br>
 |}
@@ Line 81: / Line 99: @@
 Surnames that end in '''-ec''' or '''-ek''' (or rarely '''-ev''' or '''-el''') drop the '''-e-''' before adding the '''-ová'''.
-{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
+{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 |
 ''Male''<br>Moravec<br>Šálek<br>Horáček<br>Broškev<br>Mandel<br>
 |
 ''Female''<br>Moravcová<br>Šálková<br>Horáčková<br>Broškvová<br>Mandlová or Mandelová<br>
 |}
@@ Line 93: / Line 111: @@
 Uncommon surnames ending with '''-ĕk''' or '''-ĕc''' may or may not drop the '''-ĕ-'''.
-{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
+{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 |
 ''Male''<br>Danĕk<br>Bartonĕc<br>
 |
 ''Female''<br>Daňková or Danĕková<br>Bartoňcová or Bartonĕcová<br>
 |}
@@ Line 105: / Line 123: @@
 In many cases, even German and Hungarian names are subjected to the '''-ová''' ending.
-{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
+{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 |
 ''Male''<br>Wagner<br>Nagy<br>
 |
 ''Female''<br>Wagnerová<br>Nagyová<br>
 |}
@@ Line 125: / Line 143: @@
 === Prefix Roots  ===
-{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="0"
+{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 |
 Blaho-<br>Bohu-<br>Bole-<br>Bor-<br>Boži-<br>Brani-<br>Breti-<br>Broni-<br>Dali-<br>Dobro-<br>Draho-<br>Hori-<br>Hosti-<br>Hvězdo-<br>Jaro-<br>Krasno-<br>Kraso-<br>Křeso-<br>Květo-<br>Ladi-<br>Libo-<br>Lido-<br>Lubo-<br>Ludo-<br>Luti-<br>Milo-<br>Miro-<br>Msti-<br>Radi-<br>Rati-<br>Rosti-<br>Slavo-<br>Sobě<br>Stani-<br>Svato-<br>Sveto-<br>Světlo-<br>Vac-<br>Vit-<br>Vladi-<br>Vlasti-<br>Voj-<br>Vrati-<br>Zby-<br>Zde-<br>Zeli-<br>Zito-<br>
 |
 blessed<br>God's<br>more<br>warrior<br>see Bohu-<br>defense<br>ring out<br>see Brani-<br>further, more<br>good<br>dear, valued<br>mountains<br>guest<br>star<br>strong, fierce<br>beautiful<br>see Krasno-<br>strong<br>flower<br>see Vladi-<br>beloved<br>see Ludo-<br>see Libo-<br>the people<br>fierce<br>love<br>peace<br>revenge<br>joy<br>soldier<br>increase<br>glory<br>self<br>everlasting<br>strong (or Holy)<br>see Svato-<br>light<br>more<br>live<br>rule<br>homeland<br>warrior<br>return<br>remain<br>here (or do)<br>desire<br>life<br>
 |}
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 === Suffix Roots  ===
-{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="0"
+{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 |
 -bor<br>-chval<br>-dan<br>-dar<br>-mil<br>-mír<br>-mysl<br>-pluk<br>-rad<br>-slav<br>-těch<br>-voj<br>-van<br>-vit<br>
 |
 fight, warrior<br>praise<br>given<br>gift<br>love<br>peace<br>think<br>defense of people<br>joy<br>glory<br>haste<br>warrior<br>individual<br>life<br>
 |}
@@ Line 151: / Line 169: @@
 In many cases male names had a female version created by adding -a.
-{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="0"
+{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 |
 ''Male''<br>Jaroslav<br>Bohumil<br>Vladimír<br>František<br>
 |
 ''Female''<br>Jaroslava<br>Bohumila<br>Vladimira<br>Františka<br>
 |}
@@ Line 183: / Line 201: @@
 Given names usually were simply translated to their American counterparts:
-{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="0"
+{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 |
 ''Jan''<br>''František''<br>''Kateřina''<br>''Alžbĕta''<br>
 |
 John<br>Frank<br>Catherine<br>Elizabeth<br>
 |}
@@ Line 201: / Line 219: @@
 Sometimes the name change was simply a translation:
-{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="0"
+{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 |
 ''Jablečík''<br>''Krejčí''<br>''Procházka''<br>
 |
 Appleton<br>Taylor<br>Walker<br>
 |}
@@ Line 213: / Line 231: @@
 In many cases the immigrant would choose an American name that sounded similar to foreign name:
-{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="0"
+{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 |
 ''Kořista''<br>''Nožíř''<br>''Hudec''<br>''Maršálek''<br>''Šimáček''<br>''Lapáček''<br>''Vančura''<br>
 |
 Corrister<br>Norris<br>Hudson<br>Marshall<br>Smack<br>LaPache<br>Van Cura<br>
 |}
@@ Line 225: / Line 243: @@
 Some immigrants who were sensitive about the pronunciation of their names changed the spelling so that Americans could pronounce their names correctly:
-{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="0"
+{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 |
 ''Kokoška''<br>''Kučera''<br>''Jelínek''<br>''Chudec''<br>
 |
 Kokoshka<br>Kuchera/Kuczera<br>Yellineck<br>Hudetz<br>
 |}
 [[Category:Czech_Republic|Names]]

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Revision as of 12:37, 9 July 2014