Surname Donica - Meaning and Origin
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Donica: What does the surname Donica mean?
The last name Donica is a patronymic surname, meaning it originated from a personal name, most likely a given name. The name itself is an Italian surname which can be traced back to the medieval name Donatello, a medieval Italian given name meaning “gift from God” or “gift of God”. This name was popular among devout Christians of the time and was often shortened to Donat or Donati. Over time the name evolved and could become Donica or Donica depending on the region.
Due to the popularity of the name, there have been many variations derived from it including Donici, Donico, Donici, Donetta, Donier, and Donna. The original Italian form of the name is most prominent in Italy, but has extended across Europe, and even to the United States, shifting in spelling formats as migration patterns increased.
The surname is a common one, associated with numerous personalities who have made an impact in fields such as art, literature, music, sports, and science, which has contributed to the spread of the name to different parts of the world.
Though the original spelling may vary from region to region, all variations of the surname derive from the original meaning of “gift from God.” This spiritual origin makes it a fitting choice for many.
Order DNA origin analysisDonica: Where does the name Donica come from?
The last name Donica is commonly found today in parts of Europe, particularly in Italy, Portugal, and Croatia. The origin of the name is believed to be Italian and it is believed to refer to someone from a place originally called Donica, located in the Apennine Mountains.
In Italy, the Donica surname has been present since at least the 15th century and is still common in the regions of Antichia, Campania, Calabria, Puglia, and Sicily. In the Italian language, the surname is often written as "Donica".
In Croatia, the surname is also quite common and is reported to be the most common surname among the Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Donica surname is said to be derived from "doneti" which means "to give" or "to present", and was likely first given to a person who gave a significant amount of land or money to someone else.
The surname is also found in Portugal, where la Donica became one of the few Portuguese surnames officially adopted during the Portuguese colonization of the Americas. Today, the surname continues to be fairly common in some parts of the country, particularly in the region of Beira.
In the United States, the surname is not especially common but is found in small numbers in various parts of the country, particularly in the Midwest. In most of its current forms, the surname is believed to have origins in Portugal or Italian.
Variations of the surname Donica
Donica is a surname of Polish origin, which is a patronymic derived from the Catholic given name Donat, which is a form of the Latin "Donatus". There are a variety of spellings and surnames related to Donica, including Donick, Donk, Donat, Donak, and Donit.
Donica, and all its variants, follow the phonetic laws of the Slavic languages, so they can be pronounced differently in different locations. According to the Y Chromosome DNA of the Donica surname bearers, many of them have the origins of, or are related to, the Silesian region of Silesia and Lusatia.
In Russia, the Donica spelling is often transliterated as Donicheva, with a variation being Donchenko. Doniec is another variant of the Donica spelling, used in areas such as Ukraine, Belorussia, and Lithuania.
In the Czech Republic, the Donica name is spelled as Donic, Donik, or Dynik. In Hungary, Donica is pronounced as "Donits", and is often found spelt as Donitcz or Donitz. Donicht and Donigt are variants frequently found in Germany and Austria respectively, and Donik appears in Slovakia.
In England, the Donica name is spelled as Donneke or Donneuk. In France, it is spelled Donnet or Donnay. Variants, such as Donata and Donatti, can be found in Italy, and in Spain, the spelling Donya is much more common.
Many of these variations may have been adapted from other languages, but they are all derived from the common root of Donica.
Famous people with the name Donica
- Maria Donica: Catalan-Mexican artist and environmentalist.
- Jeff Donica: former American Major League Baseball pitcher.
- Tadeusz Donica: Polish air force officer and politician.
- Jack Donica: Australian former fighter pilot and author.
- Matthew Donica: American voice actor, writer, and producer.
- Jacek Donica: Polish retired theater actor and voice actor.
- Gary Donica: American former Major League Baseball pitcher.
- Brian Donica: American ice hockey defenseman and scout.
- Keren Donica: Uruguayan chess master and FIDE Master.
- Łukasz Donica: Polish footballer.
- Radka Donica: Czech singer and actress.
- Tomek Donica: Polish poet, journalist, and music producer.
- Jędrzej Donica: Polish actor and model.
- Stephen Donica: American musician, composer, record producer, and businessman.
- Gabriela Donica: Mexican actress and singer.
- Nate Donica: American television actor.
- Michael Donica: American politician.
- Jason Donica: Canadian politician.
- Tom Donica: American former Major League Baseball pitcher.
- Aamer Donica: Sudanese academic and author.