Surname Szelak - Meaning and Origin

Szelak: What does the surname Szelak mean?

The surname Szelak is of Czech origin and has its roots in the word szelak, which means "alley". It is believed that the first people to take on the surname were people who lived or worked in an alley, such as a shoemaker or a tailor. The surname is also found in Poland, where it is spelled Szela and is thought to mean "tailor".

In the United States, the Szelak surname originated as an Americanization of the Czech name. It was likely introduced around the turn of the twentieth century, when large numbers of Czech immigrants emigrated to America in search of greater opportunity.

The Szelak surname may also be found in Slovakia, and is thought to date back even further. It is possible that some version of the name was in use as far back as the fourteenth century, although documentation on this is scarce.

The Szelak surname is still in use today, spread across many countries throughout Europe and the Americas. Although the name has changed over time, its history is rooted in one of the most common occupations of centuries past.

Szelak: Where does the name Szelak come from?

The surname Szelak is most common in Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia. Depending on the dialect, it can also be spelled as Szélaki, Szaláki, Szélakó, Szalakó, Szilák, or Szalák.

Originating in Central Europe, the name Szelak was likely derived from Szellek, a Hungarian military title meaning "leader of a squadron" or “warlord” during the Middle Ages. The surname most likely developed in response to the need for people to be distinguished from one another in records and other documents.

Today, the name can be found in cities and towns all across Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia. In Poland, the most common locations include Lublin, Warszawa, Poznań, Szczecin, and Kraków. In Hungary, Budapest, Debrecen, Pécs, Szeged, and Miskolc all have high numbers of people with this surname. In Slovakia, the highest concentrations are in Bratislava, Kosice, Prešov, Nitra, and Žilina.

In addition, many immigrants from Central and Eastern Europe who have the surname Szelak have relocated to other European countries, the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The name is also present in Latin, South America, and Israel.

Variations of the surname Szelak

The surname Szelak is a variation of three surnames typically of Slavic or Eastern European origin. These surnames are Zelak, Szulak and Szelek.

The surname Zelak originated in the 12th or 13th century in the area of what is now Croatia. There are multiple spellings of this variant. This includes Zelek, Zylak, Zilak, Zelack, Zeliak and Seliak. Often Zelak is Anglicized simply to Zilak, and in some cases use Zylak or a similar form.

The surname Szulak is a variant of Szulak and originated in the 16th century in what is now Slovakia. It is also spelled Silak, Shilak, Szalak, Sulak and Szalak.

The surname Szelek is derived from the Slovak term selek which means soldier. It originated in the 18th century and is still in use today. This surname is also sometimes spelled Selak, Szelak, Sylek, Selick, Seleckas and Silak.

Variations in spelling, due to dialect, language and immigration, are common in these surnames. All three surnames Szelak, Zelak and Szulak, and their various spellings, are ultimately derived from the same root.

Famous people with the name Szelak

• Steve Szala, American filmmaker
• Anna Szeląg, Polish football player
• David Szele, Hungarian artist
• Waldemar Szeligowski, Polish composer
• Kálmán Szelényi, Hungarian statesman
• Raimund Szeliski, American vision scientist
• Bart Szeliga, American politician
• András Szelet, Hungarian artist
• Ed Szelkowski, American football player
• Andrzej Szeliga, Polish political activist

Other surnames

Szelag