Kovač ( sh-Cyrl, Ковач) is a surname derived from the

Proto-Slavic Proto-Slavic (abbreviated PSl., PS.; also called Common Slavic or Common Slavonic) is the unattested, reconstructed proto-language of all Slavic languages. It represents Slavic speech approximately from the 2nd millennium BC through the 6th ...

word kovač, which translates to

blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...

. It is common across

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

, specifically countries in

Southeast Europe Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe is a geographical sub-region of Europe, consisting primarily of the region of the Balkans, as well as adjacent regions and Archipelago, archipelagos. There are overlapping and conflicting definitions of t ...

such as

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

, and

Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...

. Kovač is a common surname in Croatia, with 9,614 carriers (2011 census), most of them living in northern and eastern parts of the country. The surname is one of the most common surnames in five counties of

. It is common in Serbia, with 8,749 people bearing it. In Slovenia, some 4,800 have this surname. Outside

, the surname is fairly common in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

(especially

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

and

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, and

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

. The surname Kovács is the Hungarian loanword of this word, and is one of the most frequent surnames in

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

. The Romanian form is Covaci, and it is also a relatively frequent surname in

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

. The derivative forms Kovačić or Slovenian Kovačič, as well as Kovačević and Bulgarian Kovachev, are also very common.

Notable people

* Aleksandra Kovač (born 1972), Serbian singer/songwriter * Boris Kovač (born 1955), Serbian composer and multi-instrumentalist * Edvard Kovač (born 1950), Slovenian theologian * Jože Kovač (born 1961), Slovenian hockey player * Kordula Kovac (born 1957), German politician * Kornelije Kovač (1942–2022), Serbian musician/producer * Kristina Kovač (born 1974), Serbian singer/songwriter * Marko Kovač (born 1981), Serbian architect, film director and actor * * Mirko Kovač (1938–2013), Montenegrin writer * Mirko Kovač (born 1983), Serbian basketball player *

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

(born 1941), Croatian singer * Niko Kovač (born 1971), Croatian football player and coach * Nikola "NiKo" Kovač (born 1997), Bosnian professional '' Counter-Strike'' player * Robert Kovač (born 1974), Croatian football player * Roberto Kovac (born 1990), Swiss basketball player * Slobodan Kovač (born 1967), Serbian volleyball player * Sonja Kovač (born 1984), Croatian actress and model * Tinkara Kovač (born 1978), Slovenian singer/musician

Cognates

* Koval in

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

(also Kovalchuk, Kovalenko, Kovalev) * Kowal in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

(also

Kowalczyk Kowalczyk is the fifth most common surname in Poland (98,739 people in 2009). Ministry of Interior (Poland). Statystyka najpopularniejszych nazwisk występujących w Polsce in 2009'' (The most popular surnames in Poland in 2009). The name comes ...

, Kowalski) * Kovach, the Carpatho-Ruthenian form * Kovács, Kováts or Kovách in

* Kováč in

Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...

* Kovář (also Kováč) in

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

* Kovaçi in

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

* Covaci in

Fictional characters

* Luka Kovač, doctor portrayed by Goran Višnjić on ''ER'' * Steve Kovac, character cryogenically frozen in Howard Fast's ''The Cold, Cold Box''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kovac Occupational surnames Surnames of Serbian origin Surnames of Montenegrin origin Surnames of Bosnian origin Surnames of Croatian origin Slovene-language surnames

Notable people

Cognates

Fictional characters

See also

References