Surname Chmelick - Meaning and Origin
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Chmelick: What does the surname Chmelick mean?
The last name Chmelick (also spelled Chmielik, Chmilik, Czmelik, and Szmelik) is a common Slavic surname originating in what is now the Czech Republic and Poland. It is derived from the word chmiel meaning "hop" or "hop plant". It likely suggests that the progenitor of this family line was someone connected to the cultivation or production of beer. As a popular surname, its various spellings exist across former Slavic territories, even stretching into Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, and the United States.
In Czech, the name is usually pronounced with a 'ch' sound as in the word ‘chips’. However, in Polish it is pronounced more like 'sh' as in the word 'ship'. This is dependent on the local dialects and pronunciations, and so the spelling can differ across national boundaries.
The surname Chmelick is usually associated with physical strength, courage, and fortitude. It was first used in the early seventeenth century, as occupational surnames arose at that time. It was then much more common among peasants and farmers than in the upper classes.
The Chmelick surname is still present today, in many variants. It can represent a link to a common Slavic past, with its connection to the cultivation of beer and associated qualities of strength and courage.
Order DNA origin analysisChmelick: Where does the name Chmelick come from?
The last name Chmelick is most commonly found in the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic, formerly Czechoslovakia, is located in Central Europe, bordered by Germany, Poland, Austria, and Slovakia.
The name Chmelick is derived from chmel meaning "hops" in Czech. This suggests that the name Chmelick may have originated in a town or region known for its hops production in medieval times.
The most famous bearer of the surname was David Chmelick (1830-1899), the famous Czech musician, composer, and teacher.
In the modern era, the surname is widely distributed throughout the Czech Republic. Statistics from 2018 indicate that 4217 people in the country bear this surname. Most of them live in the regions of South Bohemia, Usti and Moravian-Silesian, with the capital Prague accounting for almost 5% of the population.
The Czech diaspora is also home to people bearing the surname Chmelick. In the United States, for example, the 2000 census showed over 300 individuals bearing this surname.
Outside Europe, the surname is rare. The surname is found in Brazil, where around 25 people bear the name.
Variations of the surname Chmelick
The surname Chmelick is derived from the Polish word chmiel, which means "hop". It is believed to be of Eastern European origin, particularly in Poland and other Slavic countries. The spelling of Chmelick can vary as Chmilack, Chmilak, Chmlek, Chmelecki, Chmlecki, Chmielak, Chipelak, Chiplecki, Chymelek, and Chymlak.
In some Slavic countries, the surname can become a patronymic or matronymic, with the suffix -vich and -ovich being added to the end, thus forming variants such as Chmelickvich, Chmilvich, Chmielewicz, and Chipelkovich. In some cases, the name may have become an archaic form of the surname, such as Chmielarczuk, Chmielarz, and Chmielarzyk.
In the United States, the form of the surname has taken on a more anglicized form, for example, Chimilak, Chmilek, Chevilek, and Shmilek. Additional variants in the US may include Chimelak, Chimrick, and Chymilak.
In Ukraine, the surname is often seen in the forms of Khmiel, Khmel, and Khmil, while in Russia, it may appear as Hmelnitskiy, Hmelnickiy, and Gmelin.
In conclusion, the surname Chmelick is derived from the Polish word chmiel, meaning hop. It takes on a number of variants in different countries, including anglicized forms in the United States, patronymic and matronymic forms in various Slavic countries, and other forms in countries like Ukraine and Russia.
Famous people with the name Chmelick
- Lukáš Chmelíček: Czech biologist and scientific author.
- Jiří Chmelíček: Czech politician and Member of Parliament.
- Ondřej Chmelíček: Czech ice hockey player and coach.
- Václav Chmelíček: Czech writer, journalist and political dissident.
- Pavel Chmelíček: Czech sports shooter and Olympic gold medalist.
- Lucie Chmelíčková: Czech cross-country skier and Olympic silver medalist.
- Lada Chmelíčková: Czech former swimmer and the current president of the Czech Swimming Association.
- Jaroslav Chmelíček: Czech paper historian.
- Jan Chmelíček: Czech businessman and philanthropist.
- Libor Chmelíček: Czech former footballer and current football coach.