Show ContentsKovac History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Over the course of its history, the boundaries of Poland changed frequently and as a result, Polish names have much in common with other Slavic names in the way they are formed. Polish surnames often end with a diminutive suffix, such as "-owicz," "ak," "ski," or "ska." The family name Kovac is an occupational type of surname, derived from the occupation of blacksmith. This name is a derivative of the word "kowal" which means "blacksmith" and, since this used to be a rather common profession, there were many bearers of the name. In fact, Kovac is one of the most common surnames in contemporary Poland.

Early Origins of the Kovac family

The surname Kovac was first found in Galicia which lies in southern Poland on the northern slopes of the Carpathians. It was overrun by Monguls in 1223. The region is composed of Polish and Ukrainian natives, the latter being to the east. The Ruthenian nobles adopted the Catholic faith and the Polish tongue. The surname became noted for its many branches in the region, each house acquiring a status and influence which was envied by the princes of the region. In their later history the name became a power unto themselves and were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they grew into this most influential family.

Early History of the Kovac family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kovac research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kovac History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kovac Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Kowalski, Kowal, Kovalski, Kovel, Kovalski, Kofax, Kowalczyk, Kowalik, Kovaricek, Kovarik and many more.

Early Notables of the Kovac family

More information is included under the topic Early Kovac Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kovac Ranking

In the United States, the name Kovac is the 9,432nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Kovac family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Antonia Kowalski, who came from the port of Bremen to New York in 1868; Carl Kowalski, who arrived in Baltimore in 1868; Ernestine Kowalski, who arrived in New York in 1873.


Contemporary Notables of the name Kovac (post 1700) +

  • Mary Molly Kovac, American politician, Socialist Labor Candidate for Presidential Elector for California, 1972 2
  • Niko Kovac (b. 1971), former Croatian footballer


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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