Surname Tschernjak - Meaning and Origin
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Tschernjak: What does the surname Tschernjak mean?
The last name Tschernjak has German and Slavic origins and is believed to come from a personal name beginning with the Slavonic ‘tsch’. According to surname dictionaries, it is usually derived from a nickname for someone of a dark complexion, from the word tschar meaning "black" in Polish, Ukrainian, or Russian. In some cases, the surname is derived from the Polish word czerwony meaning "red-haired".
In Germany, the surname Tschernjak is found mostly in the states of Bavaria, Lower Bavaria and Upper Bavaria. It is also found more rarely in Mecklenburg and Brandenburg as well as in Austria. In France, the surname is found around Paris and in the eastern part of the country.
Families with the surname Tschernjak may have originated from several different locations. Some were Jews who were forced into exile following the Holocaust, while others were immigrants from Slovakia and the Czech Republic. There are also some families in Russia with the surname, suggesting origins in Ukraine or Belarus.
Studies of the name indicate that it is relatively uncommon, with generally fewer than 1,000 people bearing it in the various countries where it is found. It is predominantly aJewish surname, though some families of Slavic origin or Germanic roots may also have adopted it.
Order DNA origin analysisTschernjak: Where does the name Tschernjak come from?
The last name Tschernjak is predominantly found today in central and eastern Europe, especially in Slovakia, Croatia, and the Czech Republic. It is also quite common in parts of Germany, Poland, and Romania. In some cases, the name has been slightly modified becoming Chernijak or Czerniak in more recent generations.
The Tschernjak surname is derived from the Slavic word “tchern”, meaning “black”. This suggests that the first person to have the surname likely had dark hair or skin, and it is believed to have originally been a patronymic name.
Tschernjak families have historically been mostly concentrated in rural farming regions, but there is evidence to suggest they have gradually moved to larger cities and towns in recent years.
Immigration records show that the surname Tschernjak has spread to parts of North America, with the largest concentrations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. However, it is still far rarer in the New World than in Europe.
The Tschernjak surname is commonly associated with those of Slovene and Croatian-speaking backgrounds. As such, it may also appear in the form Černiak when written in older documents in those languages.