Surname Cirkovic - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'C'
Cirkovic: What does the surname Cirkovic mean?
The surname Cirkovic originates from the South Slavic region of the Balkans. It is derived from the word “čirk” which means “circle.” It is likely that ears ago, an early ancestor of this surname developed the nickname “Cirkovic” which eventually became the family name. Those with the last name Cirkovic were likely either wandering minstrels, acrobats or entertainers that traveled in a circle, or they were itinerant merchants.
Cirkovic is one of a few South Slavic surnames ending with the suffix “-ovic”. This suffix derives from the word “ovati” which translates to “son of” in English. The prefix “čir-“ resembles the Indo-European words for the color black, such as the Czech “černý” and the Polish “czerwony.” As such, some have postulated that Cirkovic was originally used as a nickname to describe someone with dark eyes or had extremely dark skin.
In recent times, Cirkovic has become a popular surname in Serbia, Bosnia, and Montenegro, where many members of the family are still found. As more members of the family immigrate to larger countries in Europe and the Americas, the family’s name has spread even further.
No matter the origin, Cirkovic is a surname that’s been around for centuries, passed down through families and connected to a far distant past. It is a reminder of how far our families have come and will continue to be a part of our identity in years to come.
Order DNA origin analysisCirkovic: Where does the name Cirkovic come from?
The last name Cirkovic is most common today in Serbia. It is a Serbian surname which means “son of the miller”. The name is also quite common in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, although in a lesser concentration.
It is believed to be derived from the age-old Serbian practice of using the suffix “-ovic” to indicate a personal connection to an occupation, which is then prefixed to the name of that particular trade. "Cirk" is the Serbian word for "mill", suggesting the original bearer of the last name was the son of a miller.
A small number of people named Cirkovic have emigrated to other parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand. These are mainly descendants of Serbians who were forced to leave their homeland during the wars in the 1990s.
In the United States, the highest concentrations of the name Cirkovic can be found in states such as Ohio, New York, California, and Illinois. In Canada, the largest concentrations are found in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta. According to genealogical records, many of the Cirkovic families living in Canada today are descended from immigrants who arrived in the country in the post-WWII period.
The surname Cirkovic is also present in some cities in Europe such as Berlin, London, and Paris, where it is likely due to the emigration of Serbian families.
Variations of the surname Cirkovic
The surname Cirkovic is usually spelled in several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, depending on the region and language.
The most common variants of the surname are Cirković, Tirković, Tirkovic, Cirkovski, Tirkoff, Tirk, Cyrkowicz, Tsuk, Tsyrkowicz and Cirkovitz.
In some Slavic countries, Cirkovic is spelled as Цирковић, Mécskei, and Tsirkovich in western Europe. In Hungary, it is written as Czirkovics or Tsyrkovics, while in Slovenia it is Cirkovec or Sirius.
Most of these variants are derived from the same word 'Црква' which means 'church' in Old Church Slavonic and was clearly adopted as a surname by people to indicate a direct origin from or in the vicinity of a particular church.
In addition, some spellings of the surname might have been adopted in order to show the patronyms of the bearers. Cirkovic was also used as a toponymic or locational name in some places such as Cirkovic in Serbia, Cirkovice in the Czech Republic, and Cirkovice in Slovakia.
Overall, it is considered that all forms, variants, and spellings of Cirkovic have a common origin and can be traced back to the Slavic word for 'church'.
Famous people with the name Cirkovic
- Dragan Cirkovic: a Serbian academic and diplomat
- Dusan Cirkovic: a Serbian basketball player
- Miroslav Cirkovic: a Serbian footballer
- Dragan Cirkovic: a retired Serbian footballer
- Luka Cirkovic: a Serbian actor
- Marko Cirkovic: a Serbian film director
- Ivan Cirkovic: a Serbian professor of philosophy
- Jovan Cirkovic: a Serbian physicist
- Miloš Cirković: a Serbian astronomer
- Slobodan Cirkovic: a Serbian director, screenwriter and actor