Surname Zilinskas - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'Z'
Zilinskas: What does the surname Zilinskas mean?
The last name Zilinskas is a Lithuanian toponymic surname derived from the name of the village of Zilinke, near the town of Šiauliai in northern Lithuania. The surname is believed to have originated from the family name Zilinskis, and is used throughout the countries of former Yugoslavia, including Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, and Ukraine.
The earliest record of the surname Zilinskas in Lithuania dates back to 1806 when a man named Mikolas Zilinskas was listed as owning a large landholding near the village of Zilinke. The family is thought to have descended from a powerful family of noblemen. The surname has since spread across the region with various spelling variations, including Zylinsky, Zylinski, Zylinskas, Zilinkas, Zylinska, Zylinski, and Zilinski, among others.
Despite its varied spelling and origin, the meaning of the Zilinskas surname remains constant; it refers to a person or family who are natives or descendants of the village of Zilinke. It likely denotes a legacy of noble heritage and significant landholding within the region.
Order DNA origin analysisZilinskas: Where does the name Zilinskas come from?
The last name Zilinskas is most commonly found in Lithuania, where it is an established surname. It is derived from the Lithuanian word “zilinskas”, meaning “of red colour” or “daredevil”. Lithuanian surnames were typically formed from the use of various words, including physical characteristics, occupations, and place-names.
The Zilinskas surname is also very common among Lithuanian Americans, with the greatest concentrations of those bearing the name located in Massachusetts, Illinois, Michigan, and New York. There are also significant concentrations of the surname in other countries like Australia, Latvia, and Canada - likely due to the diaspora of Lithuanian immigrants in the 20th century.
The surname is still in use by many present-day Lithuanian families, some of which can be traced back hundreds of years. Those who bear the name today often have Lithuanian roots, but the surname has also been adopted by people of non-Lithuanian heritage. The Zilinskas family is still a unique identifier for individuals of Lithuanian ancestry.
Variations of the surname Zilinskas
The surname Zilinskas is derived from the Lithuanian language and is commonly found among Lithuanian populations mainly in countries throughout eastern Europe and the United States. Variants of the surname Zilinskas include Zilińskas, Zilinskij, Zilińskij, Zilinsky and Zilinski. Each spelling is dependent upon the dialect of Lithuanian used.
Within American populations, some spelling variations of the surname Zilinskas have evolved. They include Zilinsky, Zilinski, Zilensberg, Zilinger and Zillin. These are all derived from the Lithuanian root of the last name, however they do not have a direct connection to the original surname.
The surname Zilinskas is sometimes seen as a surname with multiple spellings, however, all of these variations are derived from the same Lithuanian origin of the name. The appellations of Zilinsky, Zilensberg and other variations are found primarily in the United States due to the Americanization of last names by immigrants. The original spelling of Zilinskas remains the same and is commonly found in eastern Europe.
Famous people with the name Zilinskas
- Algis Zilinskas- Lithuanian Modern Pentathlon Champion
- Ainis Zilinskas- Lithuanian architect
- Dainius Zilinskas- Lithuanian ice hockey player
- Kęstutis Zilinskas- Lithuanian footballer
- Saulius Zilinskas- Lithuanian track and field athlete
- Virginija Zilinskas- Lithuanian opera singer
- Juozas Zilinskas- Lithuanian/Soviet footballer
- Gintaras Zilinskas- Lithuanian baskeball player
- Zigmantas Zilinskas- Lithuanian ice hockey player
- Marius Zilinskas- Lithuanian opera singer and conductor