Surname Pavelek - Meaning and Origin
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Pavelek: What does the surname Pavelek mean?
The last name Pavelek is of Czech and Slovak origin, derived from the Czech and Slovak word “pavelek,” meaning “small stone.” The surname is believed to be descriptive in nature, referring to someone living in a region where there were many stones. It may also have been a name given to someone who worked with or manipulated stones, such as a stonemason or an artist.
As many surnames of that era were often modified phonetically in the course of immigration and settlement in different lands, the spelling of Pavelek can also be found as Pavlik, Pavleck, Pavletic, Pavlyk, Pavlinek, and Pavlikovsky over time. It is also occasionally found as Paveleck, Pavlic and Pavlicek.
Today, there are many variations of the Pavelek surname across Europe and the Americas, and its presence in certain areas is representative of the historical migration of people. It can be found most commonly in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, as well as in Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Canada, Australia, and the United States.
Despite its origin, the Pavelek surname is ultimately about family and tradition. Those bearing this name all share a special bond, as members of a family with a strong historical connection, brought together through their common name and a shared heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisPavelek: Where does the name Pavelek come from?
The last name Pavelek is not particularly geographically common, though it has been found in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Russia, and Ukraine. It is believed to have originated in the Czech Republic, which is the most prevalent nation for this name, with more than 100 individuals found in the 1990 census.
In the United States, the name is fairly rare. There are only a handful of individuals with the name Pavelek in the entire country, with the majority of those located in the state of New Jersey. Another handful of individuals with this name are located in Nevada, Ohio, Minnesota, New York, Illinois, California, and Pennsylvania.
Elsewhere in the world, the surname Pavelek is somewhat common in Latin American countries, with a large number of individuals in Mexico and Colombia. Additionally, it is found in various other countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and India.
Overall, the last name Pavelek is not common in any particular region, but rather scattered across the entire world. It is believed to be a Czech surname whose members have since migrated to many different countries around the globe.
Variations of the surname Pavelek
The surname Pavelek (or Pavlek) is derived from the Czech word “pavěl” meaning “wood log, stick” or from the word “pavla” meaning “flagpole”. This surname is found in the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, and even in some parts of the United States and Canada.
Variants of this surname include Pavelecky, Pavlecka, Pavlicek, Pavelec, Pavlik, Pavlikova, Pavalek, Pavlicky, and pavliček.
Spellings of the surname Pavelek are often written as Pavelick, Paveleck, Pavelecky, Pavlík, Pavlec, Povelik, Povlek, Povelick and Pavlick.
The surname most likely had multiple origins, so there may also be surnames with similar spellings that have different sources. For example, the surnames Pavolevič, Pavolov, Pavlovsky, Pavolovskij, Pavlovskii, and Pavlovic are also found in some parts of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Russia which could be derived from the origin of the surname Pavelek, but more research would need to be conducted to find the possible connections.
Pavelek is an uncommon and unique surname which may have been family name variations of many different surnames to use in different countries and regions.
Some families may have also adopted the surname when migrating to other countries, which may alter the spelling of the name in variations such as Pavlick, Pawlick, Pavlak, Pavlick and Pavlik. Therefore, the variants and spellings of the surname Pavelek could be quite varied, depending on where the surname originated and/or where the family currently resides.
Famous people with the name Pavelek
- David Pavelek: American musician and songwriter; pioneered alternative country music.
- Kyle Pavelek: Olympic skeleton slider from USA who has participated in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
- Jimmy Pavelek: NHL player who played for the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 1929-30 season.
- Bennie Pavelek: former NFL player; played guard for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1929–32.
- Joe Pavelek: played nose tackle for several teams in the Arena Football League.
- Dave Pavelek: former professional soccer goalkeeper who started his career with the Chicago Sting in 1974.
- Ryan Pavelek: former professional baseball pitcher who was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 2005.
- Don Pavelek: former Major League Baseball player who spent five seasons in the minor leagues in the 1970s.
- Lauren Pavelek: Figure skater who competed at the 2015 U.S. Championships.
- Tom Pavelek: former American Association pitcher who was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 1967.