Surname Miklowait - Meaning and Origin
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Miklowait: What does the surname Miklowait mean?
The origin of the Miklowait surname is rooted in Eastern European Jewish culture. The Miklowait surname is of Ashkenazi origin and is thought to derive from the Yiddish name “Miklitschek,” which means “son of Miklits.” Miklits was a personal name derived from the Yiddish word mikel, meaning “small.” As such, the Miklowait surname most likely denoted someone from "small" or "humble" origins.
Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, the Miklowait name was extremely common in the countries of the Eastern European Pale of Settlement, including today’s Belarus, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine. During this period, Eastern European Jews commonly used surname suffixes such as -baum (tree), -man (man), -son (-son), and more, and the surname Miklowait was no exception.
As Jews began to emigrate from Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries, many of those with the Miklowait surname also began to settle elsewhere, bringing the name with them. Today, there are still many individuals of Jewish descent with the Miklowait name that can be found all over the world.
Order DNA origin analysisMiklowait: Where does the name Miklowait come from?
The last name Miklowait is most often found in Lithuania, one of the three Baltic states located in northern Europe. It is also common in the neighboring countries of Latvia and Estonia as well as in Belarus, which borders Lithuania to the south and east. The last name Miklowait is of Lithuanian origin, derived from the given name Mikalojus and meaning “son of Mikalojus”.
The countries of the former Soviet Union, including Lithuania, have seen a large emigration of people over the decades, and it is not uncommon to find the last name Miklowait in other parts of Europe, as well as in the United States, Canada, Australia, Israel, and other parts of the world.
In the United States, the Miklowait name is found primarily in immigrant communities, particularly in larger cities. States with a higher number of Miklowait include New York, New Jersey, Florida, California, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. The surname is shared by approximately 1,090 people in the United States according to a 2020 census.
In addition to those living in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Belarus, the Miklowait surname is found throughout the world due to a combination of population movements and changing borders in the region. In all, there are roughly 4,100 people with this last name living in nearly 20 countries.
Variations of the surname Miklowait
The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Miklowait can be spelling variations, such as Miklowaita, Miklowayt, and Miklowayta. All of these are taken from the same root.
In addition to variations in spelling, the surname can also be found in variations of surname forms. The German spelling of the name is Miklóváit, while the Miklövait and Miklovaita surnames are seen in Hungary. The Miklovait, Mikloait and Miklovayt surnames are found in Croatia, while the Mikolowajt, Mikloajt, and Myklovayt surnames can be found in Russia. In the United States, many bearers of the Miklowait surname have changed it in order to better fit the American phonetic form of the name (e.g. the names Miklowat, Miklowet, and Miklowett).
Variations from other languages and cultures can also be found. In Polish, the name is written as Miklować, Miklowała, and Miklowanie. In Hebrew, it is written as Miklovicz, Miklovich, and Miklovitz. Variations of the name can also be found across Spanish-speaking countries such as Mexico and Venezuela, where it is often written as Mikloait or Miklowayt depending on the dialect.
Overall, the Miklowait surname is fairly diverse in its variant spellings and forms, with different variations existing across multiple languages and societal cultures. In some cases, the same variants are also seen in other surnames such as Miklavic, Milokoff, Milkovich, and Milokovitch.
Famous people with the name Miklowait
- Aga Mikolowait: Polish actress, TV presenter, model, and entrepreneur
- Yanis Mikolowait: Ukrainian singer and songwriter
- Alexander Mikolowait: Russian geologist and founder of the Mikolowait Institute
- Aleksandr Mikolowait: Russian mathematician, physicist, and astronomer
- William Mikolowait: American space exploration advocate
- Mariusz Mikolowait: Polish soccer player and coach
- John Mikolowait: British classical composer
- Oleg Mikolowait: Ukrainian TV and radio presenter
- Amos Mikolowait: German art historian
- Giedrius Mikolowait: Lithuanian air force officer and aviator