Surname Maleck - Meaning and Origin

Maleck: What does the surname Maleck mean?

The surname Maleck can be found in countries with a strong Slavic presence like Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the United States. It is believed to have originated from the Middle High German word malec, which means “small” or “humble” likely referring to an individual of small stature or unimportant lineage. Today, people who bear the surname Maleck are generally descended from either German or Slavic ethnicities.

Those with the German surname are believed to belong to one of two distinct family lines. The foremost of these is a noble lineage that reportedly traces its roots to the 12th century Knights Templar Matthieu de Maleck. This family is believed to have become a powerful noble house in Hungary during the 15th century. The other family are assumed to have been commoners that likely had very little ties to the Knights Templar and could have just taken the surname from the noble family.

Meanwhile, those with the Slavic surname are believed to have gained the name when the Liberation of Prague in 1620 caused the Czech Republic to enter an age of massive political upheaval. This caused many citizens to immigrate out of the country in search of a better life, likely taking the surname Maleck with them. Today, the surname Maleck is still found in both German and Slavic countries as well as other countries with immigrants from those parts of the world, such as the United States.

Maleck: Where does the name Maleck come from?

The last name Maleck is most commonly found in countries in and around Central Europe. For example, it is quite common in countries like the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, and even Hungary. In addition to this region, this surname can also be found in countries like Germany, France, Lithuania, and Latvia.

According to the WorldNames PublicProfiler, the last name Maleck is most prevalent in Slovakia, with approximately 7,630 occurrences. It also has strong concentrations in Austria, with 3,714 occurrences there. Other countries that show some prevalence for this surname include Poland (3,352), Lithuania (307), Latvia (193) and the Czech Republic (174).

Within the United States, Maleck is a much less common surname. According to the US Census Bureau, it ranks as the 94,755th most common surname in the country. In total, there are just over 400 occurrences of this name throughout the United States. The vast majority of these live in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Michigan.

Overall, the last name Maleck is most commonly associated with Central Europe, where it has strong concentrations in a number of countries throughout the region. This name also has some representation in the United States, but it is far less widespread and common there.

Variations of the surname Maleck

The surname Maleck is of Czech origin and can be alternatively spelled Malec, Malecek, Malček, Malek, Malekh, Malech, Malecka, Malecky, Malik, Maliková, Mallack, Malleck, Mallik, Malczek, and Malicek.

Malec is the most common spelling of this surname and it is often found in Bohemia, Austria, and Hungary. Other rare variants of this name include Malecka, which is found mainly in South-Eastern Europe, and Malleck, which is an Americanized version of the name.

The surname Malek is derived from the Old Czech word 'malý', which means 'little'. It was likely used as a nickname or descriptive name referring to someone of small stature or someone with a small personality. It can also be found as a diminutive of the name Emil or Emilka, as ‘malý’ can also mean ‘beloved’.

The name Maliková is derived from the Czech male given name ‘Malik’. It was likely used to indicate the ancestral origin of a family with the surname Maliková.

The name Mallack is derived from the Germanic ‘mahl’ meaning ‘flat’. It was likely used as a toponymic name referring to someone from a flat region or someone who lived in a low-lying area.

The surname Malecky is derived from the Old Czech word ‘malý’ and has similar meanings to the other variants mentioned above.

The surnames Malczek and Malicek are derived from the Slavic name ‘Malicek’, which is composed of the elements ‘malý’ and ‘cek’ meaning ‘little son’.

The surname Malech is also derived from the Old Czech word ‘malý’, meaning ‘small’. It is found mainly in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Famous people with the name Maleck

• Robert Maleck, an American entrepreneur.
• Johnny Maleck, a Slovak musician and singer.
• Jordan Maleck, a Swiss-American actor.
• Paul Maleck, an Austrian cyclist who won the French National Track Championships in 1937.
• Alex Maleck, a German former speedway rider.
• Quen Maleck, a Canadian radio personality and podcast host.
• Ursula Maleck, an Austrian TV presenter and actress.
• Ron Maleck, an Australian actor, writer and producer.
• Walt Maleck, an American voice actor.
• Agnes Maleck, a German actress.
• Paulus Maleck, a German politician and member of the European Parliament.
• Gert Maleck, an Austrian-German footballer.
• Walter Maleck, a Slovak film and television actor.
• Adolph Maleck, a former Olympic diver who competed for Germany.
• Péter Maleck, a Hungarian swimmer.

Other surnames

Malecek