Surname Novakovich - Meaning and Origin
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Novakovich: What does the surname Novakovich mean?
The surname Novakovich is of Slavic origin, specifically popular among Serbians, Croatians, and Montenegrins. The name is a patronymic, which means it is derived from the name of a father or ancestor. In particular, it's derived from the popular Slavic male first name "Novak", with the suffix "ovich" added to it, meaning "son of". Therefore, Novakovich essentially translates to "son of Novak". The term "Novak" itself originates from the Slavic word "novy" meaning "new", often bestowed upon newcomers in a certain location. So, the surname also indirectly conveys the sense of being a descendant of a newcomer or a new man. Like many surnames, over time, specific spellings have varied, so you may also see it written as Novakovic, Novaković, or Nowakovich. History and distribution of such surnames can also provide information on family lineage, regional distribution, and migration patterns.
Order DNA origin analysisNovakovich: Where does the name Novakovich come from?
The last name Novakovich is most commonly found among individuals of Serbian descent. It is one of the most predominant surnames in Serbia, and is also found in large numbers in other countries in the area, such as Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. Within those countries, Novakovich is most common in the Vojvodina and the surrounding regions, many of which have traditionally been home to large Serb populations.
Elsewhere, the Novakovich surname can be found in sizable numbers in the United States. This is largely due to the large number of inhabitants of Serbian descent in American cities with large Serbian populations, such as Chicago, New York City, and various cities in the Midwestern states and California. The name can also be found in Canada, Australia, Germany, and Austria.
Due to its geographic spread, there is no single origin story to the Novakovich surname. Though it is likely derived from the name Novak, which itself originated from the Serbian word for "newcomer," the Novakovich surname could also have been formed from any several other Slavic-origin words, with slight variation in the spelling based on regional dialects. In addition, due to its widespread prevalence in the region of the former Yugoslavia, it is possible that Novakovich also has some Croatian and Bosnian influence.
Variations of the surname Novakovich
Novakovich is a surname of Slavic origin. It is derived from the name Novak, which is derived from the Old Slavic word “nov” meaning “new”. Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin include Novaković, Novák, Novakov, Nováček, Novacki, Novikevitch, Novakowitsch, and Novikoff.
In addition to the variations listed above, Novakovich is also sometimes seen as Novikovich, Novočech, Novkovic, Novkovitch, Novokovitch, and Novakoff. It is also sometimes hyphenated as Novak-ovich.
The variants of the surname in different countries and regions also vary widely; for example, in Russia and Ukraine, there are Novikovs and Novikovskaya, and in Serbia, there are Novković and Novkovska. In Croatia, there are Novakovska and Novković and in the Czech Republic, Novák and Nováček.
The bottom line is that Novakovich is a surname of Slavic origin, with many variants and spellings stemming from it. Each variant has roots in different countries and regions, which makes the surname unique and interesting. Its ultimate origin is the Old Slavic word “nov” meaning “new”, a perfect representation of the constantly changing and evolving nature of the world.
Famous people with the name Novakovich
- Zlata Novakovich: Serbian film editor and producer
- Marko Novakovich: Canadian soccer player
- Sharinjet Novakovich: British actress
- Christopher Novakovich: American composer
- Irena Novakovich: Croatian linguist
- Sanda Novakovich: Croatian female cyclist
- Igor Novakovich: Croatian footballer
- Damir Novakovich: Australian footballer
- Gruia Novakovich: Romanian basketball player
- YoungstaCPT: South African hip-hop artist born Dominick William Novakovich