Surname Antonowitsch - Meaning and Origin

Antonowitsch: What does the surname Antonowitsch mean?

The last name Antonowitsch is a patronymic name derived from the first name Anton. The suffix -owitsch indicates a Russian-influenced origin, although the first name could have derived from German, Slavic, Greek or Latin roots. It is a common name in countries such as Poland, Russia and Ukraine, where many people who have this surname have roots in the Orthodox Church.

The name could have originated with a father named Anton – that is the traditional explanation for a patronymic name. Alternatively, it could have come from an ancestor or place name. "Anton" itself has a variety of possible roots, including the Latin “anthos” (flower), or the Greek “anthos” (blossom) or “anton” (valiant, courageous).

The “-owitsch” part of the name is a condescending way of indicating a Slavic origin. It was widely used to distinguish between people of different ethnicities but within the same area. This name suffix can indicate a Polish, Russian or Ukrainian origin.

Today, Antonowitsch is a common surname with various variants throughout Europe. Those who bear this last name usually have roots in Eastern European or Germanic countries. Many of these families maintain their links to the original Anton, with some even including his roots in their family crest.

Antonowitsch: Where does the name Antonowitsch come from?

The surname Antonowitsch (or variations of it) is most common in Russia and Eastern Europe today. It is also found in a few other countries within the region, including Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Moldova. The surname originated from the Russian given name Anton, which is derived from the Latin name Antonius.

In Russia, Antonowitsch is the 88th most common surname and is distributed across the entire country. It is most concentrated in the northwest, particularly in Saint Petersburg and the republics of the North Caucasus.

In Ukraine, Antonowitsch ranks as the 84th most common surname and is also widespread there. The name is most common in the southern and eastern regions of the country, as well as in some parts of western and northern Ukraine.

In Poland, Antonowitsch is the 98th most popular name and is especially frequent in the eastern regions of the country, particularly in the capital, Warsaw.

In Moldova, the surname Antonowitsch is ranked as the 93rd most common name and is found mainly in the northern part of the country near the Polish, Ukrainian, and Belarusian borders.

The surname is also popular in other East European countries, including Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, though it is less common there compared to other countries in the region.

All in all, Antonowitsch is a common surname in Russia and Eastern Europe today, and is particularly common in certain countries and regions.

Variations of the surname Antonowitsch

Antonowitsch is a surname of German descent, derived from a given name Anton. It is a patronymic surname derived from the old German first name Anton, which is a variation of Antonius, ultimately coming from a Latin form of Anthony. The surname is generally spelt Antonowitsch, however it can also appear in a variety of different spellings which include Antinowitsch, Antihowicz, Antonowicz, Antonowitz, and Antinowic.

The surname Antonowitsch is mainly found in Germany, but also in many other countries such as Poland, Russia, and Belarus. The different spellings can also be found in these countries, as well as different variants such as Andonowitsch and Andonowitz.

In some regions, the surname Antonowitsch has been altered to become surnames of a different origin, such as Antonutti in Italy, Antoniou in Greece, and Antonio in Spain.

In some parts of Europe, Jewish communities adopted the surname Antonowitsch. The variant spellings for this include Antehowicz and Antenowicz, and the surname also took on the forms Antinowitzky and Antonitoransky in some cases.

In German-speaking countries such as Austria and Switzerland, Antonowitsch is historically a popular surname. Variants of this surname include Antonitsch, Antnoiwitsch, Antonkowitz, and Antonswitz.

Overall, the surname Antonowitsch can take a variety of different spellings and surnames of the same origin depending on the region it is being found. These alternatives are generally related to either slight spelling alterations of the original surname, or cases where the surname has been adapted for a new location.

Famous people with the name Antonowitsch

• Max Antonowitsch: Actor, director, and screenwriter from Germany.
• Willi Antonowitsch: professional football manager and former player from Germany.
• Jürgen Antonowitsch: former German long-distance runner and Olympic medalist.
• Raimund Antonowitsch: former East German sprint canoer.
• Michael Antonowitsch: German Olympic rower.
• Uwe Antonowitsch: former East German slalom canoer.
• David Antonowitsch: professional German squash player.
• Joachim Antonowitsch: German footballer.
• Paul Antonowitsch: German alpine skier.
• Dieter Antonowitsch: former West German athlete.
• Andreas Antonowitsch: Austrian sprint canoer.
• Borislav Antonowitsch: former Eptian sprint canoer.
• Karl Antonowitsch: professional American bowler.
• Johannes Antonowitsch: Austrian bobsledder.
• Nadezhda Antonowitsch: former Soviet pentathlete.
• Svetlana Antonowitsch: Belarusian Paralympic athlete.
• Robert Antonowitsch: Austrian shoot-fighter.
• Markus Antonowitsch: Austrian wrestler.
• Vasily Antonowitsch: Russian snowboarder.
• Teofil Antonowitsch: former Soviet football manager.

Other surnames

Antonowitz