Surname Hejlek - Meaning and Origin
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Hejlek: What does the surname Hejlek mean?
The last name Hejlek is Germanic in origin, and is thought to have descended from Germanic tribes who lived in or around what is modern day Upper Austria and Bohemia. The name itself is derived from the German 'Heil' meaning 'lucky' or 'blessed', and 'ek' meaning 'oak', and was likely originally applied to someone who lived near an oak tree.
The name Hejlek is still fairly common in Central Europe today, with the highest concentration of contemporary bearers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. More recently, there is also a growing presence of Hejleks in North America, especially Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Historically, the Hejleks were often employed as craftsman and artists, particularly in constructing and decorating churches. It was thus likely the Hejleks played an important role throughout the continent's cultural history, and the name remains a symbol of centuries-long tradition of skilled workers and artisans.
In modern times, Hejleks are found throughout Europe and the Americas, and continue to contribute to their communities through hard work and creativity.
Order DNA origin analysisHejlek: Where does the name Hejlek come from?
The last name Hejlek is common in the Czech Republic, Austria, and Slovakia as well as other European countries. It is not as common in the United States, though some people with this surname can be found in the larger cities.
The surname dates back to the medieval period and is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages either on the islands of Sealand or Jutland in Denmark or in Northern Germany, most likely in the area of Lower Silesia that was then part of the Bohemian Empire.
Taking its origin in Slavic languages, the Hejlek surname is one of the oldest recorded Slavic surnames in Eastern Europe. It was first recorded in the form of a deed in 1294. The earliest recorded form of the name was ‘Ejlek’, and as time went on it came to be written ‘Hejlek’.
In terms of its modern distribution, records from the Austrian Empire in the late 1700s show Hejlek is common in districts of Bohemia, Silesia, and Moravia and, today, is particularly prevalent in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria. In the United States, the surname is found mostly in larger cities such as New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Overall, the Hejlek family has a long and rich history. It is of Slavic origin but its use has spread throughout Europe and the United States and it is still common in certain places today.
Variations of the surname Hejlek
Hejlek is an uncommon German, Czech and Polish surname. Variants of the name Hejlek can be both morphological and phonetic. Morphological variants may include spellings like Hejlik, Hejleek, and Heejlik. Phonetic variants may include spellings like Haylek, Heillek, and Heyleyk. Other surnames rooted in the Hejlek surname include Heylecki, Hejlik, Heilik and Heylik.
Hejlek is a surname derived from a pet form of the Czech male given name Heinrich, which was a popular name choice in many parts of Europe during the Middle Ages. The oldest known ancestor of the Hejlek surname is Johann Haeyleck, recorded in the pages of the 16th century parish records surrounding the town of Talmberg, as noted by the Czech Republic's Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies.
In Polish, the nearest equivalent term is Hejlik, which is derived from the same pet form of the Czech Heinrich. The scanner dictionary for Polish surnames lists Hejlik as a "very rare" surname, indicating that it is much less common than the Czech Hejleek variant.
The German variant of Hejlek is Heylecki, and is derived from the prefix Hey, making it easier for German speakers to pronounce the name. In German, Heylecki is considered to be a more recent surname and is recorded at least as far back as the 16th century, when a Heylecki family was documented in the Eastern province of Brandenburg.
Famous people with the name Hejlek
- Vratislav Hejlek: professional ice hockey player from the Czech Republic
- Michael Hejlek: founder and former president of the Prague Gaming Summit
- Anna Hejlek: a Czech actress
- Erik Hejlek: a Swedish lawyer
- Filip Hejlek: a Czech drummer and composer
- Pat Hejlek: a retired Canadian football player.
- Jan Hejlek: a former Czech president
- Tomáš Hejlek: an Olympic and professional swimmer from the Czech Republic
- Edgar Hejlek: a former Czech Republic Prime Minister
- Daniel Hejlek: a Czech jazz musician
- Petr Hejlek: a former Czech ice hockey player
- Stanislav Hejlek: a Czech physicist
- Jakub Hejlek: a Czech footballer
- Marie Hejlek: a Czech fashion model
- Karel Hejlek: a Czech political figure
- Vít Hejlek: a Czech actor and film director
- Jan Hejlek: a Czech director and animator