Surname Vankova - Meaning and Origin

Vankova: What does the surname Vankova mean?

The last name Vankova is of Slavic origin, derived from the noun “vanko” which means ‘little van’, or ‘little wagon’. This could indicate that the original bearers of the name were makers or sellers of carts and wagons. It can also refer to someone who lived in one such wagon, or near one. Alternatively, the origin could be from the Hungarian-Slavic personal name ‘Vanko’.

The name can be seen in various forms throughout Europe and the United States. In Eastern Europe countries, the surname is almost always spelled Vankova. In countries such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, or Serbia, the same name is also seen in the spelling Vanko or Vankovi. In France and Germany, the name can be spelled as Wankow, Wankowa, Wankowitsch, or Wankowsky.

The United States has also been home to Vankova’s for many generations. In the U.S., the surname can be seen spelled as Vanekova, Vanekovec, Vanova, Vankow, Vanko, Voronkov, Vankova, or Vankovitch.

People with the last name Vankova most likely shared ancestry or some other type of connection. Throughout all its permutations and spellings, the surname Vankova suggests a long, rich history of journeymen—those who traveled from place to place, perhaps with their carts and wagons, selling goods or providing services.

Vankova: Where does the name Vankova come from?

Vankova is a Slavic surname most predominantly found in countries formerly part of the Soviet Union, such as Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Within those countries, Vankova is most prominently found in greater Russia. According to the website MyHeritage, Vankova is the 127th most common surname in Russia. It is also a popular surname in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland.

In the United States, the Vankova surname remains relatively rare and is concentrated in states with a large percentage of immigrants from former Soviet Union countries who entered the country relatively recently (i.e., post-1980s). According to the 2000 census, Vankova was most common in Massachusetts, New York, California, Illinois, and Texas. A quick search on the website Ancestry.com shows that there are fewer than 500 total search results for the Vankova surname in the United States. By comparison, the surname Smith produces far more results, with greater than 5 million entries.

In Canada, the Vankova surname is much rarer, with fewer than 100 records nationwide. The majority of these records are concentrated in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Montreal. According to Ancestry.ca, the Vankova surname is the 12,984th most common surname in Canada. Areas with large concentrations of the Vankova surname are Warsaw, Poland; and St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia.

Variations of the surname Vankova

The surname Vankova is a Czech name, derived from the old Czech word 'vankování,' which means 'carpenter.' Vankova is a patronymic surname, which originates from the first name of the father. It is one of the more common surnames in the Czech Republic.

Variants, spellings and other surnames of the same origin as Vankova include Vaclav, Vankov, Vankovick, Vanko, Vankova, Vankovska, Vankovcik, Vankoven, Vanek, Vanekova, Vanik, Vanikova, and Vankovel.

Some of these variants are more likely to be used in certain regions, and some may be more common than others. Some variants may also be more common in different countries or for different people of Czech descent than others. This is due to the various language and spelling changes that have taken place over time.

For instance, 'Vackov' and 'Vanek' may be more popular forms in Slovakia, while 'Vanko' may be found amongst people in Poland, Hungary and Romania. Some of these variants could also have been adopted by different people during emigration.

Given the substantial number of variants, spellings and other surnames of the same origin as Vankova, it is likely that many individuals may have the surname of Vankova, but be unaware of the fact due to its various spellings and versions.

Famous people with the name Vankova

• Emma Vankova: Famous dancer and choreographer. She has been featured in music videos and competed on the reality show "America's Best Dance Crew."
• Alena Vankova: Czech fashion designer who has shown her designs in Europe, Asia, New York and Los Angeles. 3.Zuzana Vankova: Czech actress, best known for her roles in Lišák and Rekonstrukce.
• Miriam Vankova: a famous photographer from Czech Republic, who works mainly in fashion and advertising.
• Karel Vankova: A renowned Czech illustrator whose works have been published across Europe and America.
• Robert Vankova: A Czech singer and multi-instrumentalist, who is the lead singer and keyboardist of the band Burian Project.
• Natasa Vankova: A popular Slovakian actress with a wide range of credits in television, film and theatre. 8.Mario Vankova: An acclaimed composer and pianist from Croatia, who is known for his unique blend of classical and jazz elements.
• Ivan Vankova: Bulgarian actor and musician, best known for his voice-acting work in the animated series Kiadroigh.
• Evgeniya Vankova: Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast and Olympic gold medalist, who won three Olympic gold medals in the 2016 summer Olympics.

Other surnames

Vanko