Surname Benes - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'B'
Benes: What does the surname Benes mean?
Benes is a surname of Czech origin, derived from the personal name "Benes", which is a diminutive of the Czech "Benesa". The name "Benes" means "blessed" or "the one who is blessed". The surname became significant with the Czech statesman Edvard Benes, president of Czechoslovakia in the mid 20th century. Like many surnames that were derived from personal names, Benes was typically given to the son of a person named Benesa. Surnames served as a way to distinguish individuals with the same personal name and also provided information about familial relationships. Over time, these patronymic surnames became permanent and were passed down through generations. Despite its Czech roots, the last name Benes can be found in several countries today due to migration and diaspora.
Order DNA origin analysisBenes: Where does the name Benes come from?
The surname Benes is of Czech origin. It is derived from the personal name "Benes", a diminutive form of "Benedict", which means "blessed". This implies that the name might have initially been given as a form of a nickname to a person who was considered to have been blessed.
The name is fairly common in the Czech Republic today and can be found among descendants of Czech immigrants in countries like the United States as well. Among the well-known personalities bearing this last name was Edvard Benes, the former Czechoslovak president. It is also recognized by its appearance in popular media; on the sitcom "Seinfeld," one of the main characters, Elaine, carries the last name Benes.
While it originates from a Slavic country, it should be noted that the spelling may vary across different regions due to variations in language and pronunciation, with alternate spellings including Benesch, Beneš, or Benesh.
Variations of the surname Benes
The surname "Benes" has its roots in the Slavic region, predominantly in the Czech area. The name Benes is a patronymic derivative of the personal name "Benes", formed by adding a patronymic suffix.
There are several variants and similar surnames to Benes. Some of the commonly found variants include Benesh, Banis, Benis, Bennes, Beness, Benishek, and Benesch. Some other versions of the name can also be spelled as Beneš in the original Czech dialect, featuring a caron over its second character.
Surname spellings possibly related to or same origin as Benes are Benas, Benash, Benns, Benussi, Banas, Begnaud, Benne, and Benk.
However, it's important to remember that variations can occur due to localization, dialects, immigration, different phonetic spellings, or alphabets applied by different nations or groups.
Famous people with the name Benes
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus: Although not her real surname, Julia wore the last name of Benes in the role of Elaine Benes in the famous 90s sitcom "Seinfeld."
- Jan Beneš: A Czech author renowned for his science fiction and detective novels.
- Eduard Beneš: Former President of Czechoslovakia, serving in office before and after the World War II.
- Vojtěch Beneš: A Czech composer, music critic, and music educator.
- Ivan Beneš: A Czech professional basketball player who competed in the 1960 Summer Olympics.
- Tomáš Beneš: A Czech professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for FC Viktoria Plzeň.
- Jaroslav Beneš: A Czech football manager and former professional footballer.
- Vratislav Beneš: A Czech writer, poet, and artist.
- Petr Beneš: A Czech volleyball player who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics.
- Zdeněk Beneš: A former Czechoslovak/Czech tennis player and Davis Cup representative.
- Luděk Beneš: A Czechoslovak film and theatre actor.
- Denisa Rosolová: Born as Denisa Ščerbová-Benešová, is a Czech former athlete and beauty pageant titleholder.