Surname Prokopovicius - Meaning and Origin

Prokopovicius: What does the surname Prokopovicius mean?

The last name Prokopovicius is of Lithuanian origin, and is derived from the given name Prokopas. Generally, the name Prokopas is thought to be a derivative of the Greek name 'Prophetis' meaning 'prophet' or 'one who speaks out'. The surname Prokopovicius then translates to 'son of Prokopas'.

Historically, the surname Prokopovicius is associated with the Lithuanian nobility and higher social classes. It was also associated with the Polish szlachta, or gentry, during the 16th century when the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was in power.

The first recorded instance of the surname Prokopovicius was during the 16th century in what is now the modern day Lithuania. A notable bearer of the name was P. F. Prokopovicius, a Lithuanian freedom fighter and revolutionary during the 1831 November Uprising against Russian rule.

Today, the surname Prokopovicius is still common among Lithuanians and other ethnic groups throughout Central and Eastern Europe who trace their ancestry to the former Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It is also carried by families who immigrated out of Europe and now live in the Americas, Australia and other parts of the world.

Additionally, the surname is particularly popular in countries such as Belarus and Ukraine. Finally, the surname Prokopovicius is also used as a given name among those who bear the surname.

Prokopovicius: Where does the name Prokopovicius come from?

The last name Prokopovicius is most commonly found today in Lithuania. Lithuania is home to two-thirds of people with the last name in the world, with the most concentrated population being in Vilnius. The first recorded Prokopovicius in Lithuania was Jonas Prokopavicius, a lawyer from Tverai, Lithuania.

The Lithuanian Prokopovicius family belongs to the nobility class that can be traced back to the 17th century. During this time, the family's main purpose was to defend the borders of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. As the country underwent numerous changes in the 19th century and the Prokopovicius family started to move to other countries, the population of Prokopovicius within Lithuania began to dwindle.

However, some members of the family still remain in Lithuania. They are mostly located in Kėdainiai district and Radviliškis districts. There are also a few Prokopovičius in the Šakiai city.

Apart from Lithuania, the Prokopovicius surname is also found in other countries. There are smaller communities with the name in Belarus, Poland, Russia, Latvia, and the United States. The Prokopovicius family is known for its loyalty to the Lithuanian state. They have fought for the independence of Lithuania throughout its history and have played a key role in protecting the nation from foreign powers over the centuries.

Variations of the surname Prokopovicius

The surname Prokopovicius appears in multiple variants and spellings, mainly based on regional variation in pronunciation. These variants include Prokopavicius, Prokopavitch, Prokopovitch, Prokopovich, Prokopovits, Prokopovitz, Prokopowic, Prokopowicz, Prokopowycz and Prokopowitz.

Prokopovicius is a Slavic surname originating from the Polish and Lithuanian languages, and is a patronymic surname derived from the first name Prokop. Prokop is a common Slavic name meaning 'progress', and so implies a family was seeking inner advancement.

The Prokopovicius surname is often interchanged with Procopowicz, a more traditional Polish spelling. This name has been adapted to English in various ways, including Procopovic, Prokofvic, Prokopovic, Prokopiwiz, Prokopowicz, Prokopovitz, Prokoppowich and Prokoppovicz.

The Prokopovicius surname can be found in multiple eastern European countries, including Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Serbia, Croatia and Ukraine. It is also commonly used in other countries with large Slavic populations, such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Germany. As such, Prokopovicius is often Anglicized to Prokop, Prokope, Procop and Procopovic to make it easier to pronounce and spell in English.

Famous people with the name Prokopovicius

• Vidas Prokopovicius: Lithuanian-American businessman and philanthropist who has donated large sums of money to charities related to education and technology.
• Filipas Prokopovicius: Lithuanian businessman and investor known for his investments in startups and technology companies in the Baltic region.
• Gediminas Prokopovicius: Lithuanian political leader who has held various offices and administrations within the government of the Lithuanian Republic.
• Viktoras Prokopovicius: Lithuanian politician and member of the Lithuanian Seimas since 2002, becoming the chair of the committee on Security and Defense in the Lithuanian parliament from 2006 to 2011.
• Skirmantas Prokopovicius: Lithuanian politician who served as Minister of the Interior from 2009 to 2014.
• Vladas Prokopovicius: Lithuanian doctor and lecturer at Vilnius University, author of several textbooks on medical sciences for students.
• Juozas Prokopovicius: Lithuanian economist and businessman, former minister of finance and deputy minister of economy from 2008 to 2010.
• Audrius Prokopovicius: Lithuanian professor of economics and business at Siauliai University and former consultant for the Lithuanian Government on economic policy.
• Gintas Prokopovicius: Lithuanian journalist, music producer, and author of several books on classical music who has provided analysis of the Lithuanian music industry.
• Juratis Prokopovicius: Lithuanian composer and musician who has won numerous awards for his work in classical music and electronic music.

Other surnames

Prokopovich