Surname Jirka - Meaning and Origin
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Jirka: What does the surname Jirka mean?
Jirka is a surname of Czech origin, deriving from a Czech personal name derived from the Latin George. Historically, George was the name of an early Christian martyr and is derived from two Greek words, ‘ge’ meaning ‘earth’ and ‘ergon’ meaning ‘work’. The personal name George was popular during medieval times, and Jirka is likely adapted from this popular name.
Variations of the name include Jirko, Jiri, Jirka, Jirik, and Jirinec. Historically, families with this surname were most commonly found in eastern and southeastern Bohemia. Additionally, settlers bearing the Jirka surname were found in the United States in the late nineteenth century, after immigrating from Czech lands. The majority of Jirkas immigrated to the United States during the industrial revolution.
Due to the Jirka’s origin in Eastern Europe, those with the surname will likely be of Czech heritage. Those with links to this surname may find close family ties, as it is not as common a name as other surnames of Eastern European descent.
Order DNA origin analysisJirka: Where does the name Jirka come from?
The surname Jirka is most commonly found today in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It is believed that the surname originated from the Judeo-Germanic given name 'Jirkl,' which is a combination of two names, 'Yirc(h)' and 'L(eish).' Outside of these two countries, it has been encountered with some frequency in the Philippines, Austria, the United States, and Germany. A large majority of the bearers of the name are of Czech or Slovak origin, and especially in the Czech Republic, the name is considered quite common.
In the United States, the surname is fairly rare, with the highest concentration found in the Midwest and the Southwest. There, it is considered most prevalent in Nebraska, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri. It is primarily concentrated in small towns and rural areas rather than larger cities.
The Jirka surname has been around for quite some time, with the first documented record dating from the Third Century. It has been passed down through generations, being carried by numerous individuals in different occupations ranging from hunters, farmers, musicians, and blacksmiths to politicians, writers, and generals.
The surname continues to be used today in many areas in which it was historically found, but is certainly less common than before. The popularity of the name has steadily declined since the eighteenth century, being kept alive primarily through family tradition and loyalty. The Jirka surname may never be as widespread as it once was, but it remains a legacy for those still carrying it today.
Variations of the surname Jirka
The surname Jirka is a variant of the family name Jirik, Jirasek, Jireček, Jiriček and Jerek. All of these surnames originated in the Czech Republic, specifically in Bohemia (Czech: Čechy), and are derivatives from the surname Jiri, which is derived from the given name Jiri, which in Czech means "earth-worker."
The spelling variants of Jirka include Jirik, Jirasek, Jireček, Jiriček, and Jerek. All of these spellings of this name can be found amongst Czech-speaking people, as well as amongst those with direct ancestral ties to the Czech Republic.
The surname Jirka is thought to have originated with people of German ethnicity. It is likely that it was derived from the German name Jorg, which was adapted into Czech as Jiri.
Jirka is a common surname in the Czech lands, although its popularity has declined since the 19th century. It is not a common surname in other parts of the world, although it is found in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere with centers of Czech immigration.
Alternate spellings of the surname Jirka, such as Jirik, Jirasek, Jireček, Jiriček, and Jerek, are all quite similar and can be found in many Czech families whose roots trace back to the Czech Republic. There may be some variants of the name which use a 'y' instead of 'i', such as the surnames Jyrka, Jyrik, and Jyriček. These are often derived from the given name Jiri, in which the 'y' was added as a diminutive suffix.
The surname Jirka is an archaic and uncommon surname, but it is still used by many people in the Czech Republic and abroad who trace their ancestry to the Czech lands.
Famous people with the name Jirka
- Vaclav Jirka: Professional ice hockey player who played for HC Sparta Praha in the Czech Extraliga from 2001 to 2018, and currently plays for Valparaiso Crusaders in the NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey.
- Ivan Jirka: Retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the Czech Extraliga for HC Ocelari Trinec and HC Sumperk in the 1960s and 70s.
- Dave Jirka: Former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1970 and 1971.
- Zdenek Jirka: Czech Olympic cross-country skier who competed at the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics.
- Jan Jirka: Czech mathematician and physicist, founding member and president of MIMO Foundation: a renowned non-profit organisation in South Moravia.
- Radek Jirka: Professional footballer who currently plays for FC Viktoria Plzeň in the Czech First League.
- Jaroslav Jirka: Professor of Applied Mathematics at Charles University in Prague.
- Karel Jirka: Czech painter and sculptor who exhibits mostly in the Czech Republic and internationally.
- Jakub Jirka: Professional wheelchair tennis player who has won several tournaments in the Czech Republic, as well as the World Team Cup.