Surname Stoljar - Meaning and Origin
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Stoljar: What does the surname Stoljar mean?
The last name Stoljar is surnamed named derived from the Polish words “sztolnia” or “stolarnia,” both meaning “mineshaft” or “carpenter’s workshop.” This indicates that the family likely comes from a long line of miners or carpenters. The Stoljars have been in existence for at least 200 years and can be traced to a village located in the Lower Silesia region of eastern Germany.
Surnames of this type were typically derived from the occupation of an ancestor who acted as a landmark in the family tree. As such, it is believed that the first Stoljar settled in the area sometime during the 17th century and likely made his living as an underground miner. It is likely that this ancestor was a Serbian, as this region was part of the Kingdom of Serbia during this period.
Stoljar is a rare name today and is likely to remain so. Despite its geographic diversity, the surname has managed to remain relatively unique and distinct. The name is most common in Poland and in the Czech Republic, and is rare elsewhere in the world. Today, many of the name’s bearers are proud of the unique origin of their family name and keep in touch with their relatives who live in the region of its origin.
Order DNA origin analysisStoljar: Where does the name Stoljar come from?
The surname Stoljar is common today mainly in Slavic countries, such as Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovenia, and in parts of Eastern Europe and Central Asian countries such as Ukraine and Russia. It is first recorded in Croatia in the 16th century and takes its origin from the word ‘Stoljet’ which means ‘hundred’ in the Slavic languages. The family name ‘Stoljar’ is then derived from the word ‘Stol’ which means ‘table’. Following the breakup of the former Yugoslav region in the late 20th century, many with the surname Stoljar migrated to North America, particularly to the United States and Canada, as well as to Australia and New Zealand.
According to surname distribution databases, the highest concentrations of Stoljar in today’s world are in Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, where it is one of the most common surnames. However, it is also a relatively frequent name in Russia and Belarus, while in Ukraine it ranks as less frequent. Interestingly, evidence of variants of the same surname have been found across Brazil and the Caribbean Islands, indicating that many with the Stoljar surname could be of Sephardic Jewish origin who escaped persecution from the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisition and resettled in the Caribbean and South America.
Variations of the surname Stoljar
The surname Stoljar can have various variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Stoljar is a Yiddish toponymic surname, derived from the German name Staller that refers to a person who resided in a place called Stall, derived from the German word stall meaning “stable”. Its variants include Staler, Stalir, Stolar, Stolear, Stolir, Stolair and Stolear.
The surname Stoljar may also appear as a variant surname spelled as Stolzer, which is a German variation of Staller. This form of the name is derived from the Middle High German word stolz, which means “proud” or “noble”.
Other surnames of the same origin as Stoljar, include Stoll, Stallman, Toll, DeStella, De Stolte, Stolte, and Stoller.
Furthermore, the surname can also appear in the form of Stolyar or Stolyarov, which is a variation of Stoljar, originating from the Russian patronymic surname Stolyarov.
Overall, there are many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Stoljar that are spread over multiple languages and countries.
Famous people with the name Stoljar
- Oliver Stoljar: Canadian indie rock musician and frontman of alternative band ‘Oliver Stoljar and The Young Bloods’.
- Anton Stoljar: Australian philosopher, author of ‘Mind and World’ and ‘Reid on Consciousness’.
- Eugen Stoljar: early cinema producer, whose films ‘The Countryman and the Lady’ and ‘Was inundated from Town’ are held in the National Film and Sound Archive.
- Mary Stoljar: Canadian painter, best known for her ‘Still Life’ series and works in modern impressionism.
- Rais Stoljar: pioneering New York-based artist and sculptor.
- Olga Stoljar: renowned Croatian art historian, professor at Zagreb University and author of ‘The Art of the Croats and Serbs’.
- Alexander Stoljar: British spiritualist, author of ‘The Music of the Spheres’.
- Kenneth Stoljar: Canadian pottery artist and teacher, who pioneered the use of clay and glazes for utilitarian purposes.
- Lidia Stoljar: Russian writer and columnist, whose satirical work has been translated into several languages.
- Philip Stoljar: Australian-based composer and arranger, best known for his numerous works for film, television and theater.