Have you ever thought about the meanings of
Czech last names? We have gone through a lot of them and
came up with an interesting compilation of some of the common
types of meanings behind Czech last names. A lot of them
seem to be based on professions, bird and animal
names, and adjectives, nouns and verbs that were probably
meant to describe the person's characteristics when the
name came about generations ago. You will also notice that
Czechs like their diminutives!
Descriptive
Adjectives
Černý (Black), Dlouhý (Long), Malý (Small), Nejedlý
(Inedible), Nový (New), Opatrný
(Careful/Cautious), Plachý (Shy), Pokorný
(Humble), Rychlý (Quick), Suchý (Dry), Tichý (Quiet), Veselý
(Cheerful)
Descriptive Nouns
Buchta (Pie/Cake), Drbohlav (ScratchHead),
Hromádka (LittlePile), Hůlka (SmallStick),
Chalupa (FarmHouse/Cottage),
Chudoba (Poverty), Křížek (LittleCross),
Kučera (CurlyHead),
Mrázek (LittleFrost), Rada (Advice), Svoboda
(Freedom),
Vodička (LittleWater),
Zahrádka (SmallGarden), Žáček (LittlePupil), Žák (Pupil)
Descriptive Verbs
Brousil (Sharpened), Chytil (Cought),
Dohnal (CaughtUpWith), Kouřil (Smoked),
Kvapil (Rushed),
Musil (HadTo), Navrátil (Returned),
Pospíšil (Hurried), Strouhal (Grated), Vybíral (Chose),
Vyskočil (Jumped), Zlámal (Broke)
Professions and Social
Status
Bednář (Cooper),
Biskup (Bishop), Hudeček
(LittleFiddler), Kaplan (Chaplain), Kolář
(Cartwright), Kovář (Smith), Král (King), Krejčí (Tailor),
Kuchař (Cook), Mlynář (Miller), Pekař (Baker), Sedlák (Farmer),
Sedláček (LittleFarmer), Sládek (Brewer), Švec (Shoemaker),
Tesař (Carpenter), Zahradník (Gardener), Zeman (Squire)
Animals
Bažant (Pheasant), Blecha
(Flea), Čížek, Daněk (FallowDear),
Hrdlička (Dove), Hroch (Hippo), Havránek (LittleRaven),
Ježek (Hedgehog), Kocourek (LittleTomcat), Komárek (LittleMosquito),
Liška (Fox), Moucha (Fly), Ptáček (LittleBird), Racek
(Seagull), Skřivánek (LittleLark), Sokol
(Falcon), Sova (Owl), Straka (Magpie),
Šváb (Cockroach), Veverka (Squirrel), Vlček (LittleWolf),
Vydra (Otter), Zajíc (Hare), Zajíček (LittleHare)
Plants, Fruits, Vegetables
Borovička (SmallPine), Cibulka (SmallOnion), Fiala (Violet),
Jahoda (Strawberry), Jedlička (SmallFir), Kapusta (Sprouts),
Kopřiva (Nettle), Malina (Raspberry), Mrkvička (LittleCarrot),
Růžička (LittleRose), Vrba (Willow)
Word Combinations and
Whole Sentences
Brzobohatý (SoonToBeRich), Skočdopole (JumpInTheField),
Vítámvás (IWelcomeYou), Nejezchleba (DontEatBread),
Nepovím (IWontTell), Nesnídal (DidntHaveBreakfast), Osolsobě
(AddYourselfSalt), Přinesdomů (BringHome), Rádsetoulal (LikedToWander), Stojespal
(SleptWhileStanding), Drahokoupil (BoughtExpensively),
Kopkáně (KickedABuzzard), Přecechtěl, Snědldítětikaši (AteTheChildsPorridge)
Extensive Czech language information can
be found on locallingo.com.
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