Surname Dovnar - Meaning and Origin
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Dovnar: What does the surname Dovnar mean?
The last name Dovnar is a patronymic Ukrainian surname, meaning “son of Dov”. The name is derived from the given name Dov, a Ukrainian name which itself is derived from the Hebrew word “dowv” meaning “bear”. Ukrainian patronymic names are typically formed by adding “-ovych” or “-ovich” at the end of the root name, hence – Dovnych or Dovnovych.
The Dovnar name is quite common in Ukraine where it ranks among the 150 most frequent surnames. It is also widespread throughout Russia, Belarus, Romania, Israel and the United States. The earliest traceable ancestor of the Dovnar family is recorded as having lived in a small village in the Volyn region of Galicia in the mid-1700s.
Throughout history, members of the Dovnar family have spread to Europe, North Africa and the Americas. Today, members of the Dovnar share a strong sense of national Ukrainian pride and seek to uphold their traditions and culture for the generations to come. They might celebrate special occasions like Christmas and Easter through traditional Ukrainian dance and song.
The Dovnar family also take great pride and joy in their family traditions and values. They emphasize the importance of family unity and closely knit family relationships, and often stay connected within the family for many generations. The Dovnar name embodies a strong sense of loyalty and commitment that spans generations, along with a deep reverence for one’s heritage, culture and customs.
Order DNA origin analysisDovnar: Where does the name Dovnar come from?
The last name Dovnar is most commonly found in Ukraine and other parts of Eastern Europe. It is a patronymic surname which means "son of Dov". The origin of the name likely dates back to a medieval Slavic root, which means to ascend, to fly, or to go up.
The surname was first found in the regions of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, and Rivne in Ukraine. However, it is much more widespread today throughout eastern Ukraine, as well as in western Belarus. It is found in cities like Kyiv (formerly known as Kiev), Khmelnytsky, Chernihiv, kindom, Sumy, and Vinnytsia.
In recent decades, Dovnar has also become increasingly common beyond Eastern Europe, particularly in North America and Australia due to emigration. In the United States, the most prevalent areas are New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Miami. For scholars and researchers, the most frequent states are Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Illinois. In Canada, the last name can be found in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta.
The surname Dovnar can also be found throughout the global Jewish diaspora. The last name is common among Jews, primarily those originating from the Ukraine but also in many other countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and Israel.
The last name Dovnar reflects a long and proud heritage of many Eastern Europeans of Slavic origin. It is a timeless name which continues to be a part of many families today.
Variations of the surname Dovnar
The surname Dovnar is of Jewish origin and has multiple variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variant is Dovner, though other closely related spellings include Dovnari, Dovneri, Dovnarich, Dovnarik, and Dovnares. Less common alternative spellings include Dovne, Dowenar, Doeinen, Doenar, Doinar, and Dovnair.
The surname is most commonly found in eastern European countries like Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Romania, though it is also found in other countries around the world. In some cases, the surname was also spelled Donovan or Donev.
Variants are also found in other languages, including Russian, where it is spelled Довнер and Ukranian, where it is spelled Довнар. It is also found in Yiddish, where it is spelled דאָוונאַר, and in German, where it is spelled Dovnars. In English, other related surnames include Donovan, Donevan, and Donavan.
The root of the surname Dovnar dates back to Hebrew surnames that began with the name Dov, which means bear. Therefore, it's likely that the surname Dovnar is derived from a patronymic or metronymic name based on the word Dov, meaning descendant of the bear.
The surname itself remains quite rare in present times, but many people with the surname Dovnar continue to be found around the world, especially in East European countries. It is also quite common to find members of the same family with spellings that vary slightly from the original spelling.
Famous people with the name Dovnar
- Victoria Dovnar-Zapolskaja: Ukrainian poet
- Oleksandr Dovzhenko: Soviet Ukrainian screenwriter
- Oleh Dovnar-Zapolsky: Ukrainian singer-songwriter
- Oleksiy Dovnar-Zapolskiy: Ukrainian eye specialist
- Mykhailo Dovnar-Zapolski: Ukrainian lawyer
- Anatoliy Dovnar-Zapolsky: Ukrainian physicist
- Oleksiy Dovnar-Zapolsky: Ukrainian actor
- Leonid Ivanovych Dovnar: Ukrainian linguist
- Aleksandr Oleksandrovych Dovnar-Zapolskiy: Soviet computer specialist
- Oleksiy Oleksandrovych Dovnar: Ukrainian painter