Surname Petratschek - Meaning and Origin
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Petratschek: What does the surname Petratschek mean?
The surname Petratschek is a German-language toponymic surname derived from a location in the former Czechoslovakia. In particular, it is derived from the town of Petříkov in the Horní Benešov region. Its etymology is derived from the Czech words “pet”, meaning “five” and “řík” meaning “to go or to walk”. Thus, the literal meaning of the surname is “one who went five times” or “one who five times went”.
The surname is found among both Czech and German populations. In the Czech Republic today, the surname is most commonly found amongst Moravians, and is estimated to be one of the 500 most common surnames in the country.
A notable bearer of the surname is Austrian physician Johannes Petratschek, who lived between 1843 and 1922. Petratschek was an early pioneer in the field of experimental pathology, teaching in universities and authoring over 350 publications. He made many important contributions to medical knowledge in his time, and is credited with popularizing the use of animal models for experimental medicine.
So, the surname Petratschek is of Czech and German origin, derived from the town of Petříkov in the Horní Benešov region, with the literal meaning of “one who went five times”. As such, it has been associated with the prominent Austrian physician Johannes Petratschek and is estimated to amongst the 500 most common surnames currently in the Czech Republic.
Order DNA origin analysisPetratschek: Where does the name Petratschek come from?
The last name Petratschek is an uncommon name. It is likely of German origin, derived from the word "Pater", meaning "father" and "Ratsche", meaning "rake". It may have been a nickname of a person who had a fatherly or grandfatherly demeanor.
Today, the last name Petratschek is most commonly found in Germany and Austria. The name can also be found in the United States, with a few families having emigrated from Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Smaller numbers of Petratscheks have been located in the United Kingdom and Canada as well, likely originating with German immigrants.
In Germany and Austria, the last name is found primarily in the heavily-populated Ruhr region and in Vienna, the country's capital. In the United States, most Petratscheks are based in the midwestern states, primarily in Illinois and Minnesota. However, there are also individuals living in other states, such as Washington.
Overall, due to its uncommon designation, the last name Petratschek is not widely distributed around the world. Most Petratscheks can be found in Germany, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.
Variations of the surname Petratschek
The Petratschek surname has a number of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. ‘Petratschek’ is a German surname, and its variants include Petratz, Petratscheck, Petschke, Petschl, Petschek, Petschak, Petraschek, Petrszak, and Petrschak. All of these spellings are variations of the patronymic Petrazki or Petrak. This surname originated from the place-name Petratsch, which was derived from the Slavic word for stone.
Variations of Petratschek may also have been adopted in other languages. For example, the surname could be Petruscheck in central Europe, or Petroczyk in Poland. Similarly, the surname Petrashek might be spelt Petrossek or Petrosseck in Austria. In Britain, the variant Petraschke could be seen as Patraske.
Additional variants of the surname, such as Petrasche, Petratz, Petratzke, Petrich, or Petriks, stem directly from the original Petratschek. These variations are more likely to be found in the United States, where some families adopted forms of their surname when they immigrated.
The Petratschek surname is often anglicised to Peters, Peterschick, Petershick, Peterson, Peterschek, Petz, Petzik, Petzke, Petrachek, or Petrache. As well, some families may have changed their surname completely when they came to the United States, adopting surnames such as Patrick, Panton, or Perkins.
Finally, the Petratschek surname is not limited to people of Germanic descent. The surname is also common among Ukrainians and other Slavic peoples. Variations such as Petreszak, Petrizhak, Petryzak, or Petrychenko may be more likely to be found among these individuals.
Famous people with the name Petratschek
- Daniel Petratschek: German businessperson, entrepreneur, and founder of Remco LuxCo, a software company based in Munich
- Michael Petratschek: retired Austrian professional basketball player
- Rainer Petratschek: Austrian professional football player and coach
- Sebastian Petratschek: German professional ice hockey player
- Fabian Petratschek: German professional footballer
- Karl Petratschek: German footballer and manager
- Franz Petratschek: Austrian former ski jumper
- Wolfgang Petratschek: German music journalist and writer
- Hubert Petratschek: Austrian Protestant theologian
- Rebecca Petratschek: German visual artist and textile designer