Kovács or Kovacs, meaning blacksmith, is one of the most common Hungarian

family name In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

History

The name is found in Hungary and Hungarian expatriate communities. There are similar names with the Kováts or Kovách spellings. The name means " blacksmith" in Hungarian, and it is a loanword from Slavic languages. There are 221,688 people in Hungary who are named ''Kovács'', making the name the second most common family name among Hungarians.

Cognates

Covaci Covaci is the Romanian form of the name Kovač (Ковач), meaning "forger" or "blacksmith" in Slavic languages. Cognates * Kovač in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia * Kovac in the United ...

in Romania * Koufax in

Yiddish Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ver ...

* Kovač in many South Slavic and West Slavic communities *

Kováč Kováč, feminine: Kováčová, is a surname in Slovakia. It may refer to: ; Kováč * Alan Kováč (born 1993), Slovak footballer * Dušan Kováč (born 1942), Slovak historian * Ervín Kováč (1911–1972), Slovak footballer * Henrich K ...

in Slovakia * Kovach, the Carpatho-Ruthenian form * Kovachev in Bulgaria * Kovaçi in Albania *

Kaval The kaval is a chromatic end-blown flute traditionally played throughout the Balkans (in Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Southern Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Northern Greece, and elsewhere) and Anatolia (including Turkey and Armenia). The ka ...

in Belarus (also Kavalchuk, Kavalenka,

Kavaliou Kavalyow or Kavaliou ( be, Кавалёў), or Kavalyova, Kavaliova (feminine; Кавалёва), is a common Belarusian surname, an equivalent of the English "Smith" and Russian " Kovalyov" (derived from the Belarusian word ''kaval'', which means ...

, Kavalski, Kavalchyk, Kavalevich) *

Koval Koval may refer to: *Koval (surname) *Koval Distillery, a craft distillery in Chicago, Illinois Fiction *Funky Koval, a 1980s Polish comic book *Koval, a Romulan in Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges (''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'') See also * * Kow ...

in Ukraine (also

Kovalchuk Kovalchuk (Ukrainian and Russian: Ковальчук), Kavalchuk ( be, Кавальчук), Kowalczuk (Polish), Covalciuc (Moldovan/Romanian), also transliterated as Kowalchuk (in the North American diaspora), is a common East Slavic surname (one o ...

Kovalenko Kovalenko ( uk, Коваленко) is a very common Ukrainian surname. It is used commonly to describe a son of a blacksmith and is the equivalent of '' Smithson'' in the English-speaking world, derived from the root ''koval'' ( uk, коваль; ...

, Kovalev) *

Kovář Kovář (; meaning "smith"; feminine Kovářová ) is a Czech surname. Kovář or Kovar may refer to: * Daniela Kovářová (born 1964), Czech politician * Dennis G. Kovar, American physicist * František Kovář (1888–1969), Czech Hussite bi ...

(also Kováč) in Czech Republic. * Kowal in Poland (also Kowalczyk, Kowalski)

Notable people

* Ágnes Kovács (born 1981), Hungarian swimmer *

Angela Kovács Angela Anna Margareta Kovács (born 23 May 1964 in Vaksala, Uppland) is a Swedish actress of Hungarian descent. She studied at the Gothenburg Theatre Academy from 1987 until 1990. She then began her career as a stage actress, working at the Go ...

(born 1964), Swedish actress *

Barbara Kovács Barbara Oláh (born 26 July 1993), formerly known as Barbara Kovács, is a Hungarian race walker. She competed in the women's 20 kilometres walk event at the 2016 Summer Olympics. In 2018, she competed in the women's 20 kilometres walk event ...

(born 1993), Hungarian racewalker *

Balázs Kovács Balázs Kovács (born 14 June 1977) is a retired Hungarian hurdler who specializes in the 110 metres hurdles. He was born in Ajka. He competed at the 2000 Olympic Games, the 2001 World Indoor Championships and the 2002 European Indoor Champio ...

(born 1977), Hungarian hurdler * Bill Kovacs (1949–2006), American pioneer of commercial computer animation technology *

Dan Kovacs Dan Kovacs (born 1970) is an American competitor in the sport of powerlifting. He once held the world record for the IPA raw total at 308 pounds with a total of 2202 pounds. He began weightlifting in high school and played football at Indiana Uni ...

(born 1970), American powerlifter *

Dénes Kovács Dénes Kovács (18 April 1930 – 11 or 14 February 2005) was a Hungarian classical violinist and academic teacher, described as "pre-eminent among Hungarian violinists". He won the Carl Flesch International Violin Competition in 1955. In his care ...

(1930–2005), Hungarian violinist *

Edit Kovács (fencer) Edit Kovács (born 9 June 1954, Veszprém Veszprém (; german: Weißbrunn, sl, Belomost) is one of the oldest urban areas in Hungary, and a city with county rights. It lies approximately north of the Lake Balaton. It is the administrative c ...

(born 1954), Hungarian foil fencer *

Edit Kovács (swimmer) Edit Kovács (born 15 July 1951) is a retired Hungarian swimmer who won a silver medal in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay at the 1970 European Aquatics Championships. She competed in five events at the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Sum ...

(born 1951), Hungarian swimmer *

Ella Kovacs Ella Kovacs (born 11 December 1964) is a retired Romanian middle-distance runner of Hungarian descent who specialized in the 800 metres.

(born 1964), Romanian middle distance runner * Ernie Kovacs (1919–1962), American entertainer * Ervin Kováts (1927–2012), Hungarian-born Swiss chemist known for the Kovats retention index *

Frank Kovacs Frank Kovacs (December 4, 1919 – February 1990) was an American amateur and professional tennis player in the mid-20th century. He won the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships singles title in 1941. He won the World Professional Champion ...

(1919–1990), American tennis player *

Fred Kovacs Fredrich Kovacs is an American former soccer player who earned four caps with the U.S. national team in 1972 and 1973. Kovacs gained his first cap in a World Cup qualifier on September 10, 1972. The U.S. lost, 2-1, to Mexico. Kovacs started the ...

, American soccer player *

Gábor Kovács (financier) Gábor Kovács (born 2 January 1957, in Orosháza) is a Hungarian financier, banker, art collector, philanthropist and founder of KOGART. Life and career Having studied at the Moscow State Institution for International Relations ( MGIMO) betwe ...

(born 1957), Hungarian financier, banker, art collector, philanthropist and founder of KOGART * Greg Kovacs (born 1968), American bodybuilder *

Iván Kovács Iván Kovács (born 8 February 1970) is a Hungarian épée fencer, who won two Olympic silver medals in the team épée competition. References 1970 births Living people Hungarian male épée fencers Fencers at the 1992 Summer Olympi ...

(born 1970), Hungarian épée fencer *

János Kovács János Kovács (born 11 September 1985) is a Hungarian footballer who plays for Pénzügyőr SE as a defender. He has played for MTK, Bodajk, Chesterfield, York City, Lincoln City, Luton Town and Hereford United. Club career MTK Born in Budap ...

(born 1985), Hungarian footballer *

Joe Kovacs (puppeteer) Joe Kovacs (Born Joseph Stephen Kovacs; December 15, 1967) is an American puppeteer and actor. Kovacs was born in Independence, Ohio. In 2006 and 2007, Kovacs handled the puppet Madame Madame may refer to: * Madam, civility title or form of ...

(born 1967), American puppeteer * Joe Kovacs (born 1989), American track and field athlete *

Julie Kovacs Julia A. Kovacs is an American chemist specializing in bioinorganic chemistry. She is professor of chemistry at the University of Washington. Her research involves synthesizing small-molecule mimics of the active sites of metalloproteins, in or ...

(born 1959), American chemist *

Kálmán Kovács (disambiguation) Kálmán Kovács may refer to: * Kálmán Kovács (footballer, born 1965), Hungarian football player * Kálmán Kovács (footballer, born 1911) (1911–?), Hungarian football player * Kálmán Kovács (canoeist) Kálmán Kovács is a Hunga ...

* Katalin Kovács (born 1976), Hungarian canoer *

Ladislav Kovács Guardian usually refers to: * Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another * ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper (The) Guardian(s) may also refer to: Places * Guardian, West Virginia, Unit ...

(born 1991), Slovak ''Counter-Strike: Global Offensive'' player * László Kovács (politician) (born 1939), Hungarian politician and diplomat * László Kovács (cinematographer) (1933–2007), Hungarian-American cinematographer *

Magda Kósáné Kovács Magda Kósáné Kovács (4 November 1940 – 27 July 2020) was a Hungarian politician who was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Hungarian Socialist Party, part of the Party of European Socialists. She left the Socialist Party an ...

(1940-2020), Hungarian politician and Member of the European Parliament * Michal Kováč (1930-2016), first president of Slovakia *

Mišo Kovač Mate "Mišo" Kovač (; born 16 July 1941) is a Croatian recording artist. He is the best selling artist from Croatia, with well over 20 million records, cassettes and compact discs sold to date, and is often regarded as one of the most popular mu ...

(born 1941), Croatian singer *

Margit Kovács Margit Kovács (1902–1977) was a Hungarian ceramist and sculptor. Life Margit Kovács was born in Győr, Hungary on 30 November 1902. She originally wished to become a graphic artist but she grew interested in ceramics in the 1920s and we ...

(1902–1977) Hungarian ceramist and sculptor * Pál Kovács (1912–1995), Hungarian saber fencer *

Péter Kovács (footballer) Péter Kovács (born 7 February 1978) is a Hungarian former professional footballer played as a forward for Újpest and Vác in Hungary, for Lahti and Haka in Finland, for Tromsø, Viking, Strømsgodset, Odd Grenland, Sarpsborg 08, Sandefjord a ...

(born 1978), Hungarian footballer *

Richard Kovacs Richard Kovacs (May 5, 1884 – December 29, 1950) was a physician who pioneered diathermy as a therapy. In 1945, he was lamenting the rapid disappearance of American spas. WritingsGerman Spas: Neuenahr, Wiesbaden, Baden-Baden as Seen by the T ...

(1885–1950), physician *

Robin Kovacs Robin Kovacs (born 16 November 1996) is a Swedish professional ice hockey forward for Lausanne HC of the Swiss National League (NL). He was drafted 62nd overall by the New York Rangers in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Playing career He made his Eli ...

(born 1996), Swedish ice hockey player *

Rita Kovács 17times world cup championship Rita Kovács (born 29 March 1970 in Nyíregyháza) is a former long-distance swimmer from Hungary. She represented her home country at the 1996 Summer Olympics in 800 metre freestyle. She also competed ...

(born 1970), Hungarian swimmer *

Sándor J. Kovács Sándor J. Kovács (born August 17, 1947) is a Hungarian-American academic cardiologist and cardiovascular physiologist, best known for his work on the physiological dynamics of the human heart. He is a professor of medicine, physics, physiology, ...

(born 1947), Hungarian-American cardiologist * Sandy Koufax (born 1935), American baseball player * Sharon Kovacs (born 1990), Dutch singer *

Stephen Kovacs Stephen Matias Kovacs (January 4, 1972 – January 15, 2022) was an American saber fencer and fencing coach.

(1972–2022), saber fencer and fencing coach, charged with

sexual assault Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, which ...

, died in prison * István Kovács (footballer born 1920) (1920–1995), Romanian football manager *

Viktor Kovács Viktor Kovács (born 27 December 1973) is a Hungarian sprinter specializing in the 100 metres. He finished seventh with the Hungarian 4 x 100 metres relay team, which consisted of Kovács, Gábor Dobos, Roland Németh and Zsolt Szeglet, at the ...

(born 1973), Hungarian track and field athlete * Zoltán Kovács (ice hockey) (born 1962), Hungarian ice hockey coach and administrator *

Zsófia Kovács (triathlete) Zsófia Kovács (born 7 February 1988 in Gyöngyös) is a Hungarian professional triathlete, winner of the Hungarian Cup 2010 ''(Triatlon Ranglista)'' and member of the National Team. Since 2004 Zsófia Kovács has regularly taken part in IT ...

(born 1988), Hungarian triathlete

Fictional characters

* Takeshi Kovacs, a fictional character in three books by Richard Morgan * Walter Kovacs, the identity of the character

Rorschach Rorschach may refer to: * Hermann Rorschach, a Swiss psychiatrist ** Rorschach test, his psychological evaluation method involving inkblots * Rorschach (character), a character from the comics ''Watchmen'' * Rorschach (comic book), a 2020 comic * ...

, in the

DC Comic DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with their ...

series '' Watchmen'' * Kirilli Kovacs, a character in Darren Shan's series, '' The Demonata''.

References

Hungarian-language surnames Hungarian words and phrases Occupational surnames {{Hungary-hist-stub