Surname Markevic - Meaning and Origin
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Markevic: What does the surname Markevic mean?
The last name Markevic is of Slavic origin and is derived from the Old Slavic word “markevich”, meaning “of the border”. This likely refers to the person's original geographic location and could, therefore, mean a variety of things depending on their origin.
In the case of Lithuanian Markevic families, it likely refers to an origin near the border of Poland, which Lithuania had strong ties with through the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. This might include connections with the Lithuanian nobility, who held rights and privileges on both sides of the border. Another meaning might be a connection to one of the several Lithuanian border regions.
In the case of Russian Markevic families, it could refer to a border region in Ukraine, Belarus or Moldova. These areas were subject to the rule of both the Russian Tsars and the Grand Duchy of Moscow. That is why today, many Russian Markevic families have roots in both of these countries.
Finally, it could, of course, have a more generic meaning of “borderland”, as many different Slavic ethnic groups lived near the borders of many different countries throughout the centuries, and the Markevic name could refer to any of them.
Regardless of its precise meaning, the name Markevic is associated with the rich history of the Slavic peoples and their connections to the region’s geography and rulers over the centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisMarkevic: Where does the name Markevic come from?
The last name Markevic is most commonly found in Lithuania. This is unsurprising given that the country was historically part of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union: two ethnically Slavic empires. Lithuanian surnames, like Markevic, often end with the suffix -vic, which is derived from the Slavic word meaning “son.” This suffix is most commonly found among Eastern European surnames in countries such as Lithuania, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, and the Czech Republic.
In Lithuania, the Markevic name has been recorded in the parish records since 1569. It has also been found in countries such as Poland, Latvia, Hungary, and Germany, indicating there is some level of regional mobility of the surname over time.
In modern times, the name is not as widespread as it has likely been historically. This is likely due to the fact that Lithuania is a small nation and that people with the Markevic surname have emigrated out of the country over time. However, there are still many Markevic families living in Lithuania today. According to estimates, roughly 1 in 8500 people of Lithuanian descent have the Markevic last name, making it a relatively common surname today.
Variations of the surname Markevic
The surname Markevic is a rare surname of Eastern European origin and is also found in the United States. Spelling variants of Markevic include Markevitch, Markewitsch and Markevits. The surnames Markevich and Markovitch are also believed to originate from the same root.
The surname Markevic is recorded in various forms across Eastern Europe throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. In Poland, the spelling variants are Markewicz and Markewic, while in Ukraine the surname is spelled Markovyc.
In the US, the surname is mainly found in the form Markevic, while there are also recorded occurrences of Markevich and Markovitch. In other Slavic countries such as Russia and Belarus, the surname had been transformed to the spellings Markov and Markova.
The root name for Markevic is Marko, an old Slavic name meaning ‘warrior’. Variants of Marko have been adopted as both first and last names, such as Marcin in Poland and Markoff in Russia. There are also the Ukrainian versions Markovych and Markovenko.
The Markevic surname often has a distinctive family coat of arms, which helps to distinguish separate families of the same name. In Ukraine, Markevic is among the oldest recorded surnames, and there are a number of different branches within the Markevic family, each with their own unique coat of arms.
Famous people with the name Markevic
- Mikhail Markevich: Soviet general, three time hero of the Soviet Union.
- Constantine Markevich: Belarusian medical doctor, environmental activist and political prisoner.
- Lev Markevich: Russian football player, who plays for FC Rubin Kazan.
- Boyko Markevich: Ukrainian football coach, who manages FC Zorya Luhansk.
- Maxim Markevich: Ukrainian football player, who plays for FC FK Lviv.
- Oleg Markevich: Belarusian diplomat, former Belarusian ambassador to Kazakhstan.
- Georgy Markevich: Soviet diver, two time Olympic gold medalist.
- Natalia Markevich: Russian painter, contemporary artist.
- Mykola Markevich: Ukrainian poet, author of several collections of poetry.
- Mikhail Markevich: Russian film director and editor, known for his films "Into the Mayhem" and "Kaspian Sea".