Surname Benicek - Meaning and Origin
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Benicek: What does the surname Benicek mean?
The last name Benicek is derived from a Slavic source, most likely Czech, though it could be found in other Slavic countries. The name likely originated as a diminutive form of the Slavic personal name Benek (or Benjamin), which means ‘son of the right-hand’. It is also thought to have denoted a ‘son of a kind’, due to its root ‘ben’ from the word 'benec', which means ‘kind’ and suggests good natured sons. ‘-cek’ was likely appended in order to denote a patronymic surname from a parent of the same name.
Due to its patronymic nature, the Benicek last name is most often found as a Czech surname. Within Czech Republic today, it is a relatively uncommon surname, that most likely had regional variations. Within the census data of Czech Republic, it was found that most of the people who carried the Benicek name generally came from the western and southeastern parts of the country.
Overall, the Benicek surname is an example of the many surnames derived from patronymic and regional roots that has endured for centuries within the Eastern Europe. It is a patronymic surname meaning ‘son of Benek’ and has traditionally been passed down the paternal line within the Czech Republic, although it may be encountered in other Slavic countries.
Order DNA origin analysisBenicek: Where does the name Benicek come from?
The last name Benicek is most common in Europe, particularly in the Czech Republic as well as in Slovakia, Germany, Austria, and Hungary. It is likely that the origin of the name dates to before the 10th century, as it is mentioned in several old Czech texts.
The Czech Republic has the highest occurrence of the Benicek surname, where it is the 53rd most common name in the country. It is slightly more common in the Moravian Region, where it is the 27th most popular last name.
In Slovakia, Benicek is the 505th most common last name. In Germany, it can be found throughout the country, but is particularly prevalent in the states of Bavaria and Saxony. It is the 24,284th most common last name in the country.
In Austria, the name is quite rare, ranking as the 7,421st most frequent name. It does not make the top 10,000 list for Hungary.
The Benicek name can also be found in the United States, where it usually takes the Anglized spelling Beniczky, Benesch, or Benjesky, but is still quite rare. Its highest prevalence is in Pennsylvania, where it is the 9,863rd most common name. It is not on the top 10,000 list for any other US state.
Variations of the surname Benicek
The surname Benicek is believed to have originated in Central and Eastern Europe and is a patronymic name derived from the personal name Benko or Benek. Variant spellings of the name include Benček, Bencˇek, Benčík, Benik, Beneček, Beneck, Benicyk, Beniesek, Benik, Beník, Benlimek, Bennek, Bennek, Benczyk, and Benyec.
Benicek is also a cognate of other surnames such as Bandoček, Benčovský and Bencúrik, which originate from the same period and regions. These surnames also have similar variants, including Bendoček, Benčovec, Benčovský, Benešík, Banazek, Bandoš, Bantek, Bancúrik, and Benke.
Some of the well-known people with this surname are the Czech footballer Miroslav Benecick, the Slovakian actor Ladislav Beniček and the Slovenian footballer Ivan Beniček. The surname has also been used as a metonym for Czechoslovakia, alluding to the former explant nation’s migration of Czech and Slovak people.
Benicek is a common surname throughout Central and Eastern Europe, and can also be found in parts of North America and Australia. It is estimated that there are such thousand individuals with this surname worldwide.
Famous people with the name Benicek
- Asen Benicek: an award-winning photographer from the Czech Republic.
- Jan Beníček: a former Czechoslovak ice hockey player.
- Karel Hubert Beníček: a doctor and member of the Academy of Sciences of Czechoslovakia.
- Libor Beníček: director of Czech National Library.
- Miloslav Beníček: Czech ice hockey coach and former player.
- Pavel Beníček: a Czech composer, teacher and stage director.
- Radoslav Beníček: a former Chief of the Czech Air Force.
- Roman Beníček: a Czech football player.
- Stanislav Beníček: a former Czech ice hockey player.
- Václav Beníček: a retired Czech footballer who played as forward.