Surname Smejkal - Meaning and Origin

Smejkal: What does the surname Smejkal mean?

The last name Smejkal is an occupational surname, deriving from the Czech word "smejkal," which means cheerleader or "spectator applauder." As such, this surname likely indicates that the original bearer of the name was someone who had a role amongst the audiences of events such as plays, music performances, or poetry readings.

The surname is also particularly common amongst Czechs, and it might be related to several other names of Germanic origin. In some cases, the name derivation could be traced back to the Czech word “smejka” meaning "a merrymaker" or "entertainer." This is in line with the origin of the name being an occupational surname.

The name is thought to have originated during the late medieval or early modern period in the Czech Republic or Central Europe. Over the past few centuries, the name has been adopted by various populations that came from across the world including German and Danish immigrants who settled in the United States and Canada.

Today, the last name Smejkal is still seen across multiple countries including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Germany, amongst others, as well as in the United States and Canada. Depending on the region, the last name can be spelled differently and some variations consist of Smekal, Smelc, Smijka and Slejkal. Variations, however, are still related to the original word “smejkal.”

Smejkal: Where does the name Smejkal come from?

The last name Smejkal is most commonly found in the Czech Republic. It is derived from the word "smej" which means "to smile". According to data from Forebears, this surname is the 237th most common in the Czech Republic with 8,277 individuals bearing the last name.

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe bordered by Germany, Poland, Slovakia and Austria. Czech has been spoken there since the 9th century. The official language today is Czech while other languages such as German, Slovak, and Polish are spoken by minority groups.

Smejkal is most commonly found across the country, and is especially prevalent in the towns of Pardubický, Ustecky, and Rychenský. Other variations of this surname, such as Smejkala and Smejkalova are also known, and the surname is occasionally found in other regions of the world - most notably Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria.

The Smejkal surname is commonly associated with occupations such as blacksmiths and builders. It is possible that the name was originally adopted to describe someone who worked in these professions. It could also have become popular due to its connection to the word "smej" which translates to ‘smile’.

Thus, the last name Smejkal is most commonly found in the Czech Republic, with the majority of individuals living in the towns of Pardubický, Ustecky and Rychenský. It has been suggested that the name is derived from a connection to occupations such as blacksmiths and builders, while others associate it with the word ‘smej’, or ‘smile’.

Variations of the surname Smejkal

The surname Smejkal is of Czech origin and can have many different variants, spellings, and surnames all of the same origin. Some of the variants of Smejkal include Smíkal, Smekal, Šmejkal, Schmejkal, and Schmiekal. There are also many surnames of similar origin and variations, such as Smilkal, Smildal, Šmilkal, Smilkla, Smiček, Smejka, Smejker, Smejkalík, and Šimmelka.

Other variant spellings of the surname which have become more common are Smijankal, Smijmenkal, Smijkal, Simjkal, and Smulkal. There are also derivatives of Smejkal, such as Smikle, Smiklos, and Smiklaj. And lastly, there are other surnames of the same origin which are less common but still found, such as Smelka, Smelkar, Smelkalec, Smelko, Smejkačka, and Smilek.

Overall, there can be many different surnames, variants, and spellings of Smejkal all of the same origin. All of these spellings are derivatives or related to Smejkal, but not all of them are used in today's times. Some are more commonplace, while some are more rare.

Famous people with the name Smejkal

• Carsten Smejkal: German former footballer who played as a defender.
• Eddie Smejkal: American professional basketball player who last played for the Reno Bighorns.
• Dennis Smejkal: Former German professional footballer who played for Stuttgarter Kickers.
• Jill Smejkal: American artist known for still life and figurative paintings that explore the everyday.
• Karel Smejkal: Czech ice hockey player who competed in the 1928 Winter Olympics.
• Joseph Smejkal: Czech tennis player who won the 1969 Yugoslavia F3 Futures tournament.
• Pavel Smejkal: Czech ski jumper who competed in the late 1980s.
• Vratislav Smejkal: Czech architect and urban planner who focused on the East Bohemian region of the Czech Republic.
• Stanislav Smejkal: Czech ice hockey player who competed in the 1998 Winter Olympics.
• Jan Smejkal: Czech cross-country skier who competed for Czechoslovakia in the 1950s.

Other surnames

Smejkalova