Surname Dohnal - Meaning and Origin

Dohnal: What does the surname Dohnal mean?

The last name Dohnal is of Czech origin, derived from the word "dohnat" which means to hunt or to chase. The surname is most commonly found in the Czech Republic and the Slovakia, particularly in the regions of Silesia and Hana. It is said to be the patronymic form of a personal name used by people with the given name "Dohnat".

The Dohnal surname can be found in records in the form of various spellings, such as "Dohnal," "Dohal", "Dohnall" and "Dohall". It is likely derived from the Old High German word "dohana" which means "to hunt with dogs". It is believed that the first people to bear the surname were hunters who used dogs in their hunting.

In the Czech Republic, the Dohnal surname is found primarily in areas around Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, as well as the greater East Bohemia region. It is believed that the surname was brought to this region by Germans in the early 19th century, though it is now primarily associated with the Czech-speaking population.

The Dohnal surname has also been linked to nobility in the Czech Republic, with some family branches of its origin having noble roots and titles. This was likely due to the family's success, as a result of its hunting and agriculture heritage.

Overall, the Dohnal surname is of Czech origin and is an old family name. It is primarily associated with the Czech-speaking population and some of its history is linked to nobility. The Dohnal name is derived from the old High German word "dohana", meaning to hunt with dogs, suggesting that the first people to bear the surname were hunters who used dogs in their hunting.

Dohnal: Where does the name Dohnal come from?

The last name Dohnal is most strongly associated with Central Europe, particularly the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. It is thought to have originated in Bohemia and Moravia in the 12th century.

Today, the Dohnal name can be found in these countries and throughout much of Europe. In the Czech Republic, it is currently ranked as the 643rd most common surname with roughly 3,360 individuals listed in phonebooks. It is also recorded as being among the top thousand surnames of 1990.

The name can also be found in other parts of the world, such as in the United States, where records indicate that the first Dohnal to enter the country settled in the state of Missouri in 1854. It is now present in more than 20 states, with the highest concentration in the eastern region, particularly in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and Illinois. In the United States, the Dohnal name is not particularly common and ranks at over 13,700th on the list of top surnames.

Years of immigration have spread the Dohnal name to other parts of the world as well, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Variations of the surname Dohnal

Dohnal is a surname that has its origins in the Czech culture and language. The most common variants for this surname are Dohnalek and Dohnaleky. Other alternate spellings and variants can include Dohnalko, Dohnali, Dochnal, Dochnalek, Dochnalko, and Donahl.

In some cases, immigrants to America and other countries with Czech-speaking immigrant populations have changed the spelling of their surname to make it more phonetically similar to other languages. This can include switching the “h” to an “n”, such as Donahue, Donnel, Donnelley, and Donnelley.

In Germany, there is a variant of the surname spelled Dohnalek and in Austria another variant spelled Dohnaleky. In parts of Poland, there is a local variant of the surname Dohnalik.

In America, there are many immigrants that use the original Czech spelling and these usually come from the areas of Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, and Wisconsin.

There have been many immigrants to the United States with the surname Dohnal from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Germany. Depending on which country they came from, the surname may have been adapted to the language of the new land and often become assimilated. It is not out of the ordinary for similar surnames to appear in different parts of the world, with various spellings due to language and immigration. An example of this would be Dochnalek and Dochnali, which have both been noted in the United States census records from times past.

In sum, the surname Dohnal has many variations, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, and all of them derived from a central Czech heritage.

Famous people with the name Dohnal

• Eva Dohnal: Eva Dohnal is an Austrian politician who is currently the Federal Minister for Women, Families and Youth. She has served as a Member of the National Council since 2017.
• Jaroslav Dohnal: Jaroslav Dohnal was a Czechoslovak judoka, who competed at the 1960 Olympics. He won a bronze medal in the team event.
• Pavel Dohnal: Pavel Dohnal is a Czech sprint kayaker who has competed since 2009. He won a gold medal in the K4 1000 m event at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
• Gottfried Dohnal: Gottfried Dohnal is an Austrian actor. He is known for his roles in movies such as Miracle in Rome (2002) and Switch (2005).
• Ingrid Dohnal: Ingrid Dohnal is an Austrian figure skater. She competed in the 1972 and 1976 Winter Olympics.
• Karl Dohnal: Karl Dohnal was an Austrian figure skater. He competed in the 1924 Winter Olympics and won a bronze medal in the men's singles event.
• Frederick Dohnal: Frederick Dohnal was an Austrian alpine skier. He competed in the 1948 and 1952 Winter Olympics.
• Herr Dohnal: Herr Dohnal is a fictional character in the Austrian film Miracle in Rome (2002). He is portrayed by Austrian actor Gottfried Dohnal.

Other surnames

Dohnalek