Surname Profaska - Meaning and Origin
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Profaska: What does the surname Profaska mean?
The last name Profaska has origins in both Central and Eastern European ancestry. The name derives from two Slavic words, pras, meaning “well” and kawa, meaning “catcher”.
The literal translation of the last name means “well catcher”—likely a reference to someone who specialized in collecting or catching drinking water from a well or a source of running water. It’s possible that, centuries ago, the originator of this name was an occupationally-related surname for a communal task that was needed in rural areas.
In some cases, the last name Profaska may have derived from the Polish word profeska, which translates to something like a skillful or shoddy job. This could suggest that, historically, someone with this name may have been a craftsman of sorts or an artisan.
The name Profaska is still in existence today, and is a testament to the diversity of surnames which developed in the early days of Eastern and Central Europe. The origins of this last name will rarely be disclosed, as it’s likely that it has changed over the course of generations. Nonetheless, it is a recognizable and historic name, and one that has certainly withstood the test of time.
Order DNA origin analysisProfaska: Where does the name Profaska come from?
The last name Profaska is most commonly found today in Eastern Europe, specifically within Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia. Profaska is a topographic last name, meaning that it has an origin in geography and topography, referring to people who lived in or near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church or type of tree. The name is derived from the Proto-Slavic word ‘prof’, meaning ‘a sloping land, terraced mountain, or hill’, and the suffix ‘-aska’ which is derived from the old Serbian word ‘sky’.
In Serbia, Profaska is a relatively rare last name, ranking 10,957 out of 50,000 surnames in the country. Croatia has the largest concentration of people carrying the name today. According to official government records, there are currently 764 people living in Croatia bearing the surname Profaska.
Due to the population movements that have occurred throughout Eastern Europe's tumultuous history, Profaska is also found in other countries around the world. This is most notably the case in the United States, where many Eastern Europeans migrated around the turn of the 20th century. In the US, the last name is mostly made up of immigrants who were born in and migrated from Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, and Slovenia. In 2019, The US Census Bureau reported a total of 347 citizens who identified the surname Profaska in census data. This number was spread amongst states such as New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Overall, Profaska is a relatively rare last name, found primarily within Eastern Europe, as well as the United States amongst migrants from the region.
Variations of the surname Profaska
The surname Profaska has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common alternate forms of this surname include Profasco, Profast, Profess, Profesco, and Professo.
Profaska is one of the most common surnames found in the western Slavic countries of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. The surname is thought to be derived from a toponymic origin, indicating a person who hails from the city of Profast, or from the long-established village of Profesco, located in the region of Kiev.
The surname Profaska is associated with several Latin derivatives of the name, such as Pravir and Previsci, which indicate a person who is respected and renowned for their wisdom and knowledge.
In later years, the surname was anglicized and adopted in other countries, including the United States. The most frequently found spellings adopted in the United States are Profaas, Profass, Profis, and Provaz.
In Ukraine, Latvia, and Estonia, the surname is also known to appear as Pravats, Pravits, Provaz, Prokats, Prokots, and Proks. In neighboring Poland, the surname is known as Praskowski and Prawats.
In addition, variants of the surname exist in other countries, such as Przesak in Germany, Princast in France, and Prikas in Spain.
Overall, the surname Profaska is a unique surname that can be found in many locations and with numerous variations. It is likely that this surname has been adopted by people of Western Slavic origin who migrated to other parts of the world over the centuries.
Famous people with the name Profaska
- Jim Profaska: American television and film actor best known for his roles in “The Last Ship” and “Boston Legal”.
- Jay Profaska: professional skier, known for his multiple appearances in numerous snowboarding magazines, and for co-hosting “The Snowboard Show” on Fox Sports Net.
- David Profaska: double bassist and composer known for his work with “The Prairie Settlers” folk group and several well-known musical theater productions.
- John Profaska: anarcho-punk guitarist and vocalist, known for his work in influential hardcore punk bands “The Cog Symphony” and “Insane Society”.
- Al Profaska: professional photographer, whose fine art photography has appeared in various publications, including National Geographic and The New York Times.
- Jess Profaska: professional ballet dancer, best known for her leading roles in popular productions of the American Ballet Theatre.
- Paul Profaska: American figure skater, most famous for participating in the 2002 Olympic Games and competing in the World Championships.
- Philip Profaska: cellist and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his compositions for film and television movies.
- Sarah Profaska: singer-songwriter and musician who has released a number of solo albums and collaborated with artists like The Lumineers and The Avett Brothers.
- Jon Profaska: renowned jazz saxophonist, having appeared on numerous albums and played in many clubs throughout California.