Surname Vodopivec - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'V'
Vodopivec: What does the surname Vodopivec mean?
The last name Vodopivec is a Slavic name derived from a combination of two words: “voda” meaning water and “pivec” meaning brewer, making the literal translation of the name “water-brewer”. It is believed that the name originated from a profession of an ancestor from the pre-modern era.
The Vodopivec family name has likely existedfor quite some time, with different members of the family appearing in both written and oral histories from different Slavic regions. Historically, this name is most commonly associated with Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro.
However, the name is common to other areas of the world, too, including the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. It likely reached these locations when early Slavic immigrants travelled to these countries to start new lives, carrying their family name with them.
Today, Vodopivec is a proud and well-known family name that carries with it a long and storied history. It stands as a testament to the hard work, perseverance, and dedication of those who were brave enough to venture out of homeland in search of a better future.
Order DNA origin analysisVodopivec: Where does the name Vodopivec come from?
The Vodopivec surname is most commonly found in Slovenia. It is the 20th most common surname in the small Southern European country, where it is estimated that there are fourteen thousand people with this surname living there today. The Slovenian language version of the name is Vodopivec, however alternative versions like Vodopivcev, Vodopijec and Vodopivčev are also found in the country.
The Vodopivec surname has a long history in Slovenia, first appearing in documents from the 16th century. In the 17th century, the family would later be granted nobility status by the Roman Catholic Church for their contributions to the bone-china production industry, boosting their wealth and power.
In more recent times, there are many famous individuals with the Vodopivec surname, including Slovenian modern sculptor, Zdenka Vodopivec, famous chef Uroš Vodopivec and Veronika Vodopivec, the developer of the majority of Slovenia's largest video games.
Outside of Slovenia, along with its many variants, the surname Vodopivec can also be found in other countries. Notably, there are families with the surname in parts of the United States, southern Brazil and in some parts of Western Europe. It is also believed, however, that a large number of those with the surname living in the US today are likely to be descendants of those with the same heritage who left Slovenia in the late 1800s.
Variations of the surname Vodopivec
The surname Vodopivec is a Slovene surname meaning "water and wine bearer". The variants, spellings and other surnames of similar origin are:
- Vodopsky: This is the Czech variant of the surname.
- Vodopich: Another Czech surname, possibly derived from Vodopivec.
- Vodopic: Yet another Czech variant.
- Vodopij: This is the Kashubian form of the surname.
- Vodopijec: This is the Croatian variant.
- Vodopski: Another Czech version, with a consonant shift in the suffix.
- Vodopić: This is the Serbian version.
- Vodopica: This is a Serbian dialect form.
- Vodopička: This is a Czech dialect form.
- Vodopicevo: This is a Montenegro variant.
- Vodopicu: An Albanian variant.
- Vodopieva: A dialect variant from the Macar language.
- Podopivč: This Ukraine variant is derived from Vodopivec.
The surname of Vodopivec/Vodopich is believed to have originated from the Slovenian word voda (water) and the Czech word pivec (wine bearer). It first appears in Slovenian records from the early thirteenth century, most likely referring to someone tasked with bringing water and wine to ceremonial events held in the royal court. The early presence of the name in Slovenia suggests it was likely among the first surnames associated with the area.
Famous people with the name Vodopivec
- Nataša Vodopivec: Slovenian volleyball player
- Janez Vodopivec: Slovenian rower
- Miha Vodopivec: Slovenian football goalkeeper and sports commentator
- Zmago Vodopivec: Slovenian sprint canoer
- Rok Vodopivec: Slovenian handball player
- Matjaž Vodopivec: Slovenian handball player
- Štefan Vodopivec: Norwegian baritone
- Boško Vodopivec: Slovenian ice hockey player
- Josip Vodopivec: Slovenian handball coach
- Dragan Vodopivec: Slovenian handball player