Surname Moravec - Meaning and Origin

Moravec: What does the surname Moravec mean?

The last name Moravec originates from the Bohemian region of the Czech Republic. The name is derived from the Czech word 'mor', meaning 'marsh'. In the language of its native land, Moravec translates to 'the one who dwells on the marsh'. It is believed that people bearing this surname were probably distant relatives of Summit Lords who owned land around swamps and marshes, or local craftsmen who worked in that area.

Moravec families were well-known for their involvement in the hard work of protecting swamps and marshes from flooding. People of this surname were known for their often brave and altruistic actions in doing whatever was necessary to ensure that the swamps and marshes were secure. Moravecs were also known for their skill in cultivating the land to make it usable for farming. This work involved draining the swamps and marshes that were often used to irrigate land for crops.

The Moravec surname is still prevalent in the present-day Czech Republic and Slovakia. Today, many members of Moravec families continue to be agriculturalists, working the land and swamps in the same way their ancestors did.

Moravec: Where does the name Moravec come from?

The last name Moravec is most commonly found in Central Europe, especially in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. Its origins are believed to stem from the Czech word for 'moor', which was used in the Middle Ages to describe someone who held a strong agricultural position. Moravec is still very prominent in the Czech Republic, as it is one of the most common surnames. In Slovakia, its prevalence is slightly lower, but still widely seen. Additionally, it is among the top 500 surnames in Hungary.

Outside of Central Europe, the Moravec surname is found among Czech, Slovak, and Hungarian diaspora communities in North America. The first Moravec to emigrate to the United States was probably in the late 19th or early 20th centuries, and by the year 2000 it was among the top 9000 surnames in the United States. Similarly, the Moravec name is among the top 200 most common surnames in Canada.

The Moravec surname is found widely across Europe, however its prevalence and distribution varies within the continent. While it is quite common in Central Europe, it is still relatively rare in other European countries like the UK, Germany, France, and Italy, though more Moravec families are slowly beginning to settle in these countries. The Moravec name continues to spread across all corners of the globe, and is likely to become increasingly common in years to come.

Variations of the surname Moravec

The surname Moravec is quite common in many Central and Eastern European countries, especially in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It is derived from the Czech word for 'peasant'. Variants of the surname Moravec include Moravetz/Morawetz, Moravitz/Morawitz, Moravčík/Morawčík, Moravčák/Morawčák, Moravec/Morawec, Moravecký/Morawecký, Moravčin/Morawčin, Moravin/Morawin, and Morávek/Moráwek.

In Poland, the surname is known as Morawiec. In Hungary, it is spelt as Moravcsik or Mravcsik. In Slovenia, it is known as Moravec or Moravč and in Croatia, the variant is Moračić.

In Austria, the surname is spelled Maravec, while in Serbia, it is known as Moravčević or Moračević. The variants of the same origin are also Mexicanized as Morávez and Morávek. In Germany, the surname is spelled Mohrweg or Morweg.

In the US, the surname could also be seen spelled as Muravec, Muravetz, Muravitz and Murawec. Though not derived from the same source, the surname Maravegas is also found as a variant of Moravec. In the United Kingdom, there are occasional spellings of Maravec, Maraveck and Maravek.

Overall, the surname Moravec is widely dispersed throughout Central and Eastern Europe and the variants as mentioned above are quite common.

Famous people with the name Moravec

• Herbert Moravec, Austrian author and philosopher
• Ondřej Moravec, Czech biathlete
• Karel Moravec, Czech opera singer
• Erik Moravec, Norwegian actor
• Steve Moravec, American baseball player
• Patrik Moravec, Czech footballer
• Arnold Moravec, Austrian footballer
• Carola Moravec, Austrian politician
• Jenny Moravec, Uruguayan track and field athlete
• Maureen Moravec, American poet
• Christian Moravec, Austrian author
• Michal Moravec, Czech racing bicyclist
• Martin Moravec, Czech politician
• Petr Moravec, Czech engineer and cyberneticist
• Adriana Moravec, American academics and linguist
• Pavel Moravec, Czech basketball player
• Ondřej Moravec, Czech footballer
• Janusz Moravec, Polish diplomat
• Elise M. Moravec, American zookeeper and popularizer of science
• Jakub Moravec, Czech hockey player

Other surnames

MoravczinczkyMoravekMoravetzMoravezMoraviec