Surname Krajc - Meaning and Origin
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Krajc: What does the surname Krajc mean?
The last name Krajc is of Slavic origin and its meaning is derived from the word “Kraj”, which is a district or region in many Slavic countries. It was initially used as a patronymic surname to indicate a person from a certain region or district. Krajc can also be spelled as Krajci, Krajcs, Krajch and Krajce.
Today this surname appears to be most common in Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia. Its many variants seem to be distributed all over the Balkans and Eastern Europe, with a few sparse occurrences also found in the United States, Canada, and Australia.
It is believed that many of the Krajc families were landowners in their native regions and may have achieved semi-nobility or knighthood at some point, although this cannot be definitively proven.
Krajc is a truly unique and interesting surname that has endured centuries of use and migration across the eastern half of Europe and beyond. It remains a proud testament to one's regional heritage and is often echoed in prideful stories of Slavic ancestry, tradition, and culture.
Order DNA origin analysisKrajc: Where does the name Krajc come from?
The last name Krajc is most commonly found in Slovenia and Croatia today. It is part of the Slavic last names revered in the region. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the Krajc name spread to other parts of Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.
It is believed that Krajc has its roots in a diminutive for ‘Krag’ or ‘Crag.’ Krag or Crag was thought to be derived from the words ‘Krank’ or ‘Krak’ which mean rocky in Slovenian and Croatian. This suggests that the family originally operated near a craggy area and took on the name in a sign of respect and admiration.
The name is still very much alive and being used today. Name directories show that at least 4,774 people have the last name of Krajc and many of them reside in the Balkans. In towns such as Sisak in Croatia, Lukovica and Ilovica in Slovenia, and Pancevo in Serbia, the name is still widely used as evidenced by the fact that many of the streets and homes are listed with the name Krajc.
Overall, the last name Krajc is still alive and prevalent in the countries of Slovenia, Croatia, Serbian, Ukraine and Belarus. It is a reminder of the proud history of the people and serves as sign of strength and honor for the families that carry it.
Variations of the surname Krajc
Krajc is a family name with several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants of the surname Krajc are Krajč, Krajčić, Krajcic, Kraitsch, Kraits, and Kraysh.
Krajč is the Czech and Slovak variant of the surname. Krajčić is the Croatian variant of the family name, typically associated with the city of Rijeka in Croatia. Krajcic is another Croatian variant of the surname, used mostly in areas of Slovenia and Croatia. Kraitsch is the German variant, which is also spelled Kraits or Kraysh.
Krajc is also a Jewish surname, found in areas of Central Europe, including Austria, and Galicia in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is a variant of the Polish surname Krajnik, with the same origin as Krajc meaning “ruler” or “overseer”.
A few other surnames with similar spellings, but with different origination, are Krayczynski, Kratz, Krainz, Kracic, Crawick, and Krah. Krayczynski is a Polish patronymic name derived from the word “Krzysztof” meaning “Christian”. Kratz is a German variant of the surname which is derived from the word “Kratz” meaning “claw”. Krainz and Kracic are two Slovenian variants of the surname that mean “citizen” and "Croats" respectively. Crawick is an English variant of the surname created by immigrants from Central Europe. Krah is a Polish variant of the surname derived from the word “Krzysztof” meaning “Christian”.
Famous people with the name Krajc
- Pavel Krajc: Czech professional football player
- Adolf Krajč: Slovak football manager and former player
- Jan Krajč: Czechoslovak sprint canoer
- Jan Krajc: Czech-Austrian lawyer and banker
- Mirek Krajc: Czechoslovak retired ice hockey player
- Jarmila Krajc: Czech former table tennis player
- Radek Krajc: Czech film and television production writer
- Pavla Krajč: Slovak politician
- Stanislav Krajc: Czech film and television writer
- Jan Krajc: Czech former football player
- Karel Krajc: Czech football player
- Oskar Krajc: Slovak Paralympic athlete
- Jaroslav Krajc: Czech former football player
- Fico Krajc: Slovak mathematician
- Petr Krajc: Czech former footballer
- Vladimir Krajc: Czech retired cyclist
- Miroslav Krajc: Czech football manager and former player
- Martin Krajc: Czech mathematician
- Richard Krajc: Czech pianist and composer
- Marian Krajc: Slovak football player and manager