Surname Novitzki - Meaning and Origin
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Novitzki: What does the surname Novitzki mean?
The last name Novitzki is of Jewish origin. It is a patronymic surname, i.e., derived from the name of a paternal ancestor. Specifically, it is derived from the Yiddish personal name “Novitski”, which in turn is derived from the Hebrew personal name “Naftali” (meaning "wrestle" or "struggle" in Hebrew). In addition to Jews, the name is found among Ukrainians and some Poles.
The Novitzki surname may also be spelled variously as Novitski, Novitsky, Novitzky, Novizki, Nowitzki and others. The surname is most commonly found in Eastern Europe, particularly in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, and is relatively rare elsewhere.
In Jewish tradition, the Novitzki surname is associated with a marvelously elaborate and humorous folk tale recounted in the liturgical work “Kol Nidrei”, which dates back to Medieval times or even earlier. In this folk tale, a Jewish man named Novitzki is so filled with sorrow for a tragedy that took place in his life that he vowed to fast “from the world” for 40 years. This time span is a symbolic representation of atonement and passage of a difficult phase in one’s life.
Today, the Novitzki surname represents a Jewish heritage that is centuries old. To be a Novitzki is to be a part of a people’s long history of struggle and endurance. It is an honorific status, one that is greatly respected and admired throughout the world.
Order DNA origin analysisNovitzki: Where does the name Novitzki come from?
The last name Novitzki is of German origin, and is most commonly found among German speaking nations and their diaspora around the world. Novitzki is a rarer last name, and is much less common in Anglophone countries like the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
In Germany and other nearby German-speaking countries, Novitzki is most common in the area of former East Germany, where it is in the top 600 most popular surnames. This indicates that the name is likely of Prussian origin.
In Germany, the name is spread throughout the nation, so it is likely that anyone with the surname Novitzki has ancestors who originated from a variety of German states. It is also quite common in Switzerland, Austria and other nearby regions.
In the United States, the 2010 census recorded less than 800 people with the name Novitzki, and many of these were likely American descendants of German immigrants. Although the name is less common in the United States, it has likely increased in frequency since the 2000 census.
Novitzki is not found in particularly high numbers in other English-speaking countries, although there may be small clusters of the name in large cities in the UK and Canada. In other regions with German-speaking diasporas such as Latin America and Australia and New Zealand, the surname is more likely to be encountered.
Variations of the surname Novitzki
Novitski, Nowitski, Novitzke, Novitzky, Novitsky, Nowitske, and Nowitzki are the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Novitzki. The surname Novitzki is derived from a Slavic background and dates back to the medieval period. The original spelling of the surname was purely based on phonetic variations of the time, and as language and dialects evolved, many variants of the surname sprouted.
Novitski is the most common variant of the surname and can be found in countries across the world with large Slavic populations, such as Poland and Ukraine. It has also been anglicized in some instances and can be found as Novitsky, Nowitsky or Nowitzki. The descendants of Novitski can be found all over the globe, including the US, Canada, Australia, and many European countries.
Novitske is the second most popular version of the surname and also has its roots in Slavic language and culture. It is used in countries such as Belarus, Lithuania and Estonia and has been found in some US cities. It is originally spelt "Nowitske", which was originally an older spelling of "Nowitzki". The spelling "Novitzky" is derived from the Yiddish spelling of Novitski, which is used in Israel and other countries with large Ashkenazi Jewish populations.
Overall, Novitski, Nowitski, Novitzke, Novitzky, Novitsky, Nowitske, and Nowitzki are all variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These different spellings gradually evolved over a period of time, as language and culture changed and spread across the world. Although they may seem slightly different, they all originate from the same surname and serve to show how language develops over time.
Famous people with the name Novitzki
- Dirk Nowitzki: Former professional basketball player who played in the NBA from 1998-2019. A 14-time All-Star and one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, he is most remembered for leading the Dallas Mavericks to their only championship in 2011.
- Lukas Novitzki: German footballer who plays as a midfielder for Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga.
- Sascha Novitzki: German-born film producer, writer and director. His films include 'The Miracle of Bern', 'The White Sound' and 'Moritz and the Little Prince'.
- Sandra Novitzki: German ski jumper who competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics.
- Margot Novitzki: Austrian water polo player who won a gold medal at the 2003 World Championships.
- Kateryna Novitzki: Ukrainian singer and actress who has represented her home nation at several major international singing competitions, including the Eurovision Song Contest.
- Jon Novitzki: American bassist who has performed with various noted rock and alternative music groups, including Sublime, Limp Bizkit and The Offspring.
- Luise Novitzki: German sculptor best known for her bronze, marble and porcelain sculptures.
- Daryna Novitzki: Ukrainian paralympic swimmer who has competed in several Summer Paralympic Games, including Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
- Friedrich Novitzki: Retired East German luge competitor who competed in the 1976 Winter Olympics.