Surname Orlik - Meaning and Origin
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Orlik: What does the surname Orlik mean?
The last name Orlik is thought to be derived from the root word “ork” which is a Czech or Polish word meaning “eagle”. As such, its literal translation is “son of the eagle”. It is thought to have originated as a nickname, so families with this last name may be descended from a person with a nickname such as “Orlik/Orlick/Orlak” or similar. This surname could have been given to a brave or fearless ancestor, as the eagle is a formidable and revered creature in many cultures.
Further research reveals other interpretations of the name Orlik. Other versions of the root word include “orloj” which means “astrolabe” in Slavic languages, or “orli” which means “woodpecker” in Azerbaijani. If these interpretations are correct, one could imagine that an ancestor had a particular affinity for one of these birds.
The name is today primarily found in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Russia. It can also be found in other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
While the origin of the last name Orlik is not definitively known, it continues to be associated with birds of prey, courage, and strength.
Order DNA origin analysisOrlik: Where does the name Orlik come from?
The last name Orlik is mainly found in Central and Eastern Europe, especially in Poland and the Czech Republic. It is also common in Slovakia, Hungary, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, and Germany.
The origin of the name Orlik is believed to be either Slavic or German, and it refers to a person who inhabited the area near an alder tree, a common tree in the area of Eastern European countries. Orlik is sometimes also found as Orlík, Orlicki and Orlecki.
The Orlik surname is particularly popular in Poland, where there are almost 140,000 people carrying the name. The name is divided into several variants, such as Warlik and Orłoś, common mostly in the south and central regions. Czech Republic follows with over 19,000, especially in the Bohemia region. In Slovakia, there are close to 16,000 people with the name Orlik, with the eastern region of Slovakia being particularly popular.
Orlik is also common in other countries such as Hungary, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Latvia. For example, about 1,500 people in Hungary have the last name and more than 8,500 people in Kazakhstan. In these countries, it is sometimes spelled as Orlík or Orlikov.
Overall, Orlik is a widespread last name that has origins in both Slavic and German languages. It is mainly found across Central and Eastern Europe, especially in Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Variations of the surname Orlik
The surname Orlik has many variants, spellings, and surname origins. The most common variants are Orlick, Orlich, Orlicz, Orlitz, Orlikowski, and Orlicki. It is an Ashkenazi Jewish name of Polish-Yiddish origin that was commonly used in the area of Poland.
The original spelling of the surname was Orlicky or Orlecky. It is derived from the personal name Orlik, which is itself derived from the Polish word for "little eagle" or "golden eagle." The original bearer of the surname may have been named after the Eagle of Silesia, an eagle figure in Silesia's coat of arms.
The surname Orlick is an East Slavic version of Orlik, with the ending "-ick" added at the end. It is derived from the personal name Orlyat or Orlylyat, which references the eagles of Silesian coats of arms. Other variants of the surname, such as Orlich and Orlicz, were derived from the same personal name.
Orlikowski and Orlicki are both derivative forms of the name Orlik. The ending -owski is a common Polish suffix used to denote a connection with a place, and the -icki suffix is a sign of respect. The two combined mean "a person of Orlik".
This wide variety of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin all come from the same person or place associated with the eagle. A bearer of this surname today may choose any of the variants to honor their family's heritage.
Famous people with the name Orlik
- Artur Orlik-Mészáros: Polish-Hungarian actor
- Łukasz Orlik: Polish footballer
- Monika Orlik: Polish volleyball player
- Stanley Orlik: Polish-American mathematician
- Matt Orlik: American bridge player
- Leonardo Orlik: Argentine rugby union player
- Daniel Orlik: Czech playwright
- Final Orlik: Dutch-Serbian kickboxer
- Andreas Orlik: German speed skater
- Rudolf Orlik: German composer
- Danijel Orlik: Croatian footballer
- Pavol Orlik: Slovak composer
- Ladislav Orlík: Czech philologist
- Ondřej Orlík: Czech ice hockey player
- Eugene Orlik: American painter
- Yakov Orlik: Russian Provost
- Alfred Orlik: Austrian painter
- Adolf Orlik: Austrian painter and writer
- Jan Orlík: Czech writer
- Ervin Orlik: Yugoslav writer