Surnames That Have Lived Here for Centuries — Luhačovice Families from the Parish Registers
Oldest parish record: 1641
When, in 1641, the parish priest in Pozlovice recorded the baptism of Mikuláš Martinec, son of a local miller, in the parish register, he had no idea that he was establishing a tradition that would last four centuries. From that date onward, we have an unbroken record of the inhabitants of the Luhačovice region—their names, family ties, trades, and fates.
The parish registers of Pozlovice (to which Luhačovice belonged ecclesiastically for centuries) are among the oldest in southeastern Moravia. They have been digitized and are freely accessible on the Acta Publica portal of the Moravian Provincial Archives in Brno. Anyone who delves into them will soon discover that many surnames from the oldest entries are still found here today.
Surnames that shape Luhačovice’s identity
Some surnames appear so frequently and for so long in the Luhačovice registers that they can be considered an integral part of the local identity. Among the most prominent are:
Macků — one of the most common surnames in Luhačovice and the surrounding area. It derives from the shortened form of the first name Matěj (Macek → Macků, meaning “Mack’s son”). This typically Moravian form with the -ů ending indicates family affiliation.
Vaňa — derived from the first name Jan (Vaněk, Vaňa). A surname widespread throughout Moravia, but exceptionally common in the Zálesí region around Luhačovice.
Kozubík — a surname likely derived from the word “kozub” (a type of basket or container). Typical of the Slovácko and Zálesí regions.
Fojtík — one of the most transparent surnames. It comes from the word fojt (from the German Vogt), which was a reeve—the head of a village. The Fojtíks were descendants or relatives of a former fojt. In the Luhačovice region, the surname appears in the oldest parish registers.
Plášek — likely from the word plášť or plášek, possibly a nickname for a person who wore characteristic clothing.
Žáček — a diminutive of “žák,” meaning student or parish priest’s assistant. The surname suggests that the family’s ancestor had ties to the church or school environment.
Martinec — a surname derived from the given name Martin. Martinec is the first surname recorded in the Luhačovice registers (1641).
Semela — a surname of unclear origin, perhaps from the word “semele” (a type of flour) or from a personal name. It has been consistently present in the Luhačovice region since the 17th century.
Other regional surnames
In addition to these most common families, the registers also contain other surnames with deep roots in the region:
Kadlčík — a surname derived from the word kadlec (tkadlec, meaning a cloth weaver). In Moravia, it occurs primarily in Slovácko and the Luhačovice Zálesí region; approximately 650 people bear this surname throughout the Czech Republic.
Malota — a surname common around Březnice and in the wider Slovácko region, likely derived from the adjective “malý” (small).
Máčalík — a surname typical of the Zálesí region, virtually unknown in other areas.
Chupík and Kudláček — other surnames linked to the region, though less common.
How surnames became established
In the oldest registers, surnames tend to be inconsistent—the same person may be listed in one entry as “Jan Macků” and in another as “Jan the miller” or “Jan of Lhota.” It was not until the 18th century that surnames began to become fixed. The Josephine reforms played a decisive role—Emperor Joseph II’s decree of 1786, which mandated the use of a permanent, hereditary surname.
In Moravia, however, most surnames remained virtually unchanged—families that have appeared in the registers under a certain name since the 17th century still bear the same surname today. The Josephine Reform merely formalized what was already established in practice.
How many people with this surname live in Luhačovice today
An interesting comparison is offered by the nasejmena.cz database, where you can check the frequency of any surname in any municipality in the Czech Republic. For traditional Luhačovice surnames such as Macků or Fojtík, we find that their concentration in Luhačovice and surrounding municipalities is significantly higher than the national average—clear evidence of these families’ centuries-old roots in the region.
Similar statistics are also provided by the portal kdejsme.cz, which offers a map showing the distribution of surnames throughout the country.
Nicknames — A Parallel System of Names
Alongside official surnames, there existed (and in rural Moravia still partially exists today) a parallel system of nicknames. In a village where five Mack families lived, it was necessary to distinguish them somehow. Nicknames were derived from a trade, a physical trait, a personality trait, or the location of a homestead. Over time, some nicknames completely replaced surnames—and today we no longer realize that behind an unusual surname lies the humor of the countryside of yesteryear.
Haluzovi — a surname associated with courage and culture
Among the surnames that have brought Luhačovice to wider attention is undoubtedly Haluza. Jan Haluza—a political prisoner of the communist regime and the first coach and discoverer of Emil Zátopek. His wife, Věra Haluzová, founded the Malé Zálesí folklore ensemble, which to this day preserves the traditions of the Luhačovice region. The Haluzas are an example of how a single surname can embody both the courage and the cultural heritage of an entire region.
Where to Look for Your Roots
If your surname is one of those from the Luhačovice area, you have several options for researching your ancestors:
- Acta Publica — digitized records from the Moravian Provincial Archives
- FamilySearch.org — a global genealogical database with Czech records
- Land registers and urbars at the Moravian Provincial Archives in Brno
And if you take a closer look at some of the traditional surnames in the records, you might discover that your family traces back to that miller, Martinec, from 1641.
More articles in the series: The Oldest Residents of Luhačovice · Antonín Václavík and the Luhačovice Zálesí · Luhačovice Under the Scientists’ Microscope