Surname Hlava - Meaning and Origin
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Hlava: What does the surname Hlava mean?
The last name Hlava is of Czech origin and is most commonly found within the Czech Republic. It is transliterated from the Czech word ‘hlava’, which roughly translates to ‘head’ or ‘top’. It is thought to be either an occupational surname associated with a headman or supervisor, or it could refer to a person of high rank or honour within the community. In some cases, the surname could also have a more literal meaning – referring to an individual with an unusually large head.
Within Czech culture, surnames often carry specific meanings, and it is likely that Hlava was a way to identify a certain family or individual based on their special status or occupation. It is a relatively common surname in the Czech Republic, and could also be seen in Slovakia and other nearby countries, with some variation in spelling.
Families who carry the surname Hlava may have had members who were of a higher stature in society, given the implications of the name. Alternatively, they may have been known for having members with exceptional physical or mental characteristics. No matter what the origin of the name is, Hlava is likely to have been used to differentiate a certain group of people and honor their unique characteristics.
Order DNA origin analysisHlava: Where does the name Hlava come from?
Today, the last name Hlava can be found across many countries, mostly in Europe. The highest concentrations are in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Germany.
In the Czech Republic, the society is very aware of the last name and its prevalence is high. This is due to its origin and popularity in the country. It is believed to derived from the medieval Bohemian name “Hlava”, which translates into modern German as “Kopf”, meaning "Head". It is a popular surname among Czech and Slovak families, and today it is reported to be amongst one of the most commonly used surnames in the Czech Republic.
In Slovakia, the surname Hlava is also found, although there are less of them. The pronunciation is slightly different in this country, as it is pronounced with a longer “a” sound at the end, similar to “Hlavah”. The origin of this surname is still debatable, the most accepted version is that it originated from a field with the same name, which was common during the 1920s.
In Germany, the last name Hlava has a long history that dates back to the 1920s when it first appeared in records. Many of the people with this surname have had ancestors that originated mostly from the Czech Republic and Slovakia but some families have migrated from other parts of Europe to Germany in the past few centuries.
While not as common as in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the surname Hlava is still relatively prevalent in Europe and has spread to other parts of the world in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Variations of the surname Hlava
Hlava is a surname of Slavic origin and is found in various areas such as Central Europe, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland. The surnames Hlava, Galáva, Galavec, Galavá, Hlaváč, and Hlavička all have the same origin and can be used as variants of the same surname.
The general variant of Hlava is Galáva, which is a surname mostly found in Slovakia. This surname is found in at least three villages in the south-central part of the country and is believed to have originated from the personal name Galav.
The surname Hlaváč is a Czech variant of Hlava and is associated with the family name Hlavacz. It is generally found in the Czech Republic and has several derivatives such as Hlávka and Hlavík.
Hlavička is a frequently used variant of Hlava in the Czech Republic as well as parts of Slovakia. It is derived from the personal name Hlava, which in turn is derived from the Old Slavic root hlava meaning 'head'.
Galavec is a variant of Hlava found in several parts of the Czech Republic and parts of Slovakia. The family name is derived from the personal name Galav, which is a cognate of the Slovak word galava meaning “born in the spring”.
Hlava is also linked with several other names with similar etymology, such as Hlavacek and Galavac. Although these names are derived from the same root, they are usually quite rare and not as common as the other variants.
Famous people with the name Hlava
- Christian Hlava: A German actor and producer.
- Robert Hlava: A Czechoslovakian politician who served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia during much of the 1980s.
- Michael Hlava: A German-American actor and voice actor who has starred in many films and television series such as Heroes and 24.
- Amalia Hlava: An Argentinian actress who has appeared in many films and television series.
- Robert Hlava: A former professional tennis player from Austria.
- Josh Hlava: An American professional basketball player who plays for the New Zealand Breakers in the National Basketball League.
- Tasha Hlava: An American figure skater who competed in the 2014 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
- Ondrej Hlava: A Czechoslovakian actor and dancer who has appeared in several films and television series.
- Stella Hlava: An Australian musician and composer who has contributed to several albums and films.
- Paul Hlava: An illustrator from Slovakia who has worked on several comic books and graphic novels.