Beneš (feminine Benešová) is a common Czech and Slovak surname. The surname was derived from the shortened Czech form of the given name Benedict (Latin name of meaning "blessed", see also the surname Benedict). In the old Czech orthography the word was written as Beness, the

Germanized Germanisation, or Germanization, is the spread of the German language, people and culture. It was a central idea of German conservative thought in the 19th and the 20th centuries, when conservatism and ethnic nationalism went hand in hand. In ling ...

form is Benesch. Notable people with the surname include: *

Alan Benes Alan Paul Benes (born January 21, 1972) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball from 1995 to 2003 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers. He stood at and weighed . Amateur car ...

(born 1972), American Major League Baseball pitcher * Andy Benes (born 1967), American Major League Baseball pitcher * Bedřich Beneš (born 1967), Czech-American computer scientist * Božena Benešová (1873–1936), Czech poet and author * Edvard Beneš (1884–1948), leader of the Czechoslovak independence movement and the second President of Czechoslovakia * Emilie Benes Brzezinski (born 1932), American sculptor and widow of Zbigniew Brzezinski *

Hana Benešová Hana Benešová (born 19 April 1975 in Čáslav) is a retired Czech sprinter who competed in the 200 and 400 metres. She represented her country at the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics, as well as four consecutive World Championships, starting in ...

, Czech athlete * Ivan Beneš, Czech basketball player and coach * Iveta Benešová (born 1983), Czech professional tennis player * Jan Beneš (1936–2007), Czech writer, translator, publicist and screenwriter * Jan Beneš (born 1987), Czech orienteering junior world champion *

Joan Benesh Joan Benesh (née Rothwell; 24 March 1920 – 27 September 2014) was a British ballet dancer who, with her husband Rudolf, created the Benesh Movement Notation, which is the leading British system of dance notation. Early life, education, and ma ...

(1920–2014), British ballet dancer *

Josef Beneš Josef Beneš (11 January 1902 in Prachatice – 17 December 1984 in Prague) was a linguist from Czechoslovakia, specialising in anthroponymy and onomastics. Beneš studied Bohemistics and Germanistics at the Charles University in Prague, ending ...

(1902–1984), Czech linguist *

Juraj Beneš Juraj Beneš (2 March 1940 in Trnava, Slovak State – 11 September 2004 in Bratislava, Slovakia) was a Slovak composer, teacher, and pianist. He graduated from the university called Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava (VŠMU) and was a p ...

(1940–2004), Slovak opera and orchestral composer *

Ladislav Beneš Ladislav Beneš (born 9 July 1943 in Zlín) is a Czechoslovak handball player who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (ger ...

(born 1943) Czech handball player * Libuše Benešová, Czech politician * Lubomír Beneš (1935–1995) Czech animator, director and author *

Luděk Beneš Luděk Beneš is a retired slalom canoeist who competed fro Czechoslovakia from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s. He won six medals at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships with three golds (C-1 team: 1955, 1959, 1965), two silvers (C-1: 1955, 1 ...

Czechoslovak slalom canoer * (born 1960), Czech animator who worked in Pat and Mat, and Club of the Discarded (1989) * Marie Benešová, Czech politician *

Marijan Beneš Marijan Beneš (11 June 1951 – 4 September 2018) was a Yugoslav Boxing, boxer from Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is considered one of the best boxers in Yugoslav history. After a brilliant amateur career, culminating in the gold medal ...

(born 1951), Yugoslav boxer * Pavel Beneš chief designer at ČKD-Prague * Petr Beneš, Czech volleyball player *

Rudolf Benesh Rudolf Benesh (16 January 1916 – 3 May 1975) was a British mathematician who created the ''Benesh Movement Notation'' for dancing. Biography Rudolf Benesh was son of a Czech father and an Anglo-Italian mother. He worked as a mathematician w ...

(1916–1975), British mathematician, co-inventor of Benesh Movement Notation *

Svatopluk Beneš Svatopluk Beneš (24 February 1918 – 27 April 2007) was a Czechoslovak film actor. He appeared in 90 films and television shows between 1934 and 2003. Selected filmography * ''Pacientka Dr. Hegla'' (1940) * ''Pohádka máje'' (1940) * ''L ...

, (1918–2007), Czech actor *

Thomas A. Benes Thomas Anthony Benes (June 8, 1951 – September 30, 2014) was a major general in the United States Marine Corps. Career After graduating from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, he was commissioned through the Platoon Leaders Class program ...

, (1951–2014) United States Marine Corps general *

Václav Beneš Třebízský Václav Beneš Třebízský (27 February 1849 in Třebíz – 20 June 1884 in Mariánské Lázně) was a Czech novelist. He is the author of numerous historical novels and children's stories. His best novel is arguably ''In the Early Evening of ...

(1849–1884) Czech novelist * Vaclav E. Benes (born 1931), American mathematician, developer of the Benes network *

Vít Beneš Vít Beneš (born 12 August 1988) is a Czech footballer who currently plays for Sigma Olomouc in the Czech First League. Career In June 2013, he was chased by Sparta Prague but the Jablonec owner decided not to sell him because of the Europea ...

, Czech association footballer *

Vojta Beneš Vojta Beneš (11 May 1878 – 20 November 1951) was a Czech educator, political leader in Czechoslovakia and brother of Edvard Beneš. Life and career Vojta Beneš was born in Kožlany, Bohemia, then a province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Ben ...

(1878–1951), Czechoslovak educator and political leader, brother of Edvard Beneš Fictional characters: * Alton Benes, Elaine Benes's father on ''Seinfeld'' * Elaine Benes, Julia Louis-Dreyfus' character on ''Seinfeld'' * Jan Benes, the comatose scientist in '' Fantastic Voyage'' portrayed by Jean Del Val * Sandra Benes, a character on '' Space: 1999''

See also