Surname Martinac - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
Martinac: What does the surname Martinac mean?
Martinac is a surname found primarily in Croatia, Slovenia, and other parts of former Yugoslavia and Eastern Europe. Its origin is thought to be derived from the personal name Martin, from the Latin Martins, which means “of Mars” and is associated with the Roman god of war.
Martinac roughly translates to “son of Martin,” and the surname is believed to date back at least to the Middle Ages. It was common among the Croatian nobility and landowners during the 16th and 17th century. Later, during Austria–Hungary’s occupation of the region, it became a more widespread surname.
For many centuries, Martinac remained primarily in the area, though it has become more widespread in recent years, particularly with immigration to other parts of the world. The name is also sometimes seen in other parts of Europe, particularly after intermarriage.
Nowadays, the meaning of the surname Martinac may vary somewhat according to the region it is used in. Generally, however, people with beliefs in a traditional interpretation of the name may still refer to it as meaning “son of Martin” or “servant of Mars.” Most commonly, however, it is simply regarded as a family and regional surname with no particular meaning attached to it.
Order DNA origin analysisMartinac: Where does the name Martinac come from?
The last name Martinac is most commonly found in the former Yugoslav states of Croatia and Slovenia. The root of the name is possibly derived from the Latin world 'martius' which means 'Mars'. Historically, the name has held significance in these areas as both a given name and surname.
In Croatia, the surname is recorded in many historical papers from the first census held in 1857. Its spread across the country gives a very general idea of how many families bore the name in those times. In those records, it is estimated that around 2-3% of the population had the last name.
In Slovenia, the surname is recorded in the earliest documents from 1550 onwards. There, it occurs as a porcly name in some villages of the country. It is estimated that this last name is more numerous than it in Croatia.
Today, the Martinac surname is most common in Croatia and Slovenia. Those areas are home to the majority of individuals bearing this last name, which suggests that it is likely that the roots of this surname stem from this region. Even outside of these two countries, the name is still encountered frequently among the diasporas of Yugoslavia, due to events such as the refugee crises of the 1990s.
Variations of the surname Martinac
Martinac is a Croatian surname derived from the name Martin, which is most commonly found among people of South Slavic descent. The spelling of the name can vary, but other common spellings include: Martinić, Martinič, Martinich, Martinković, Martinčić, Martinović, Martincic, Martinovski, Martinussi, Martinišć, Martinicic, Martinicki, and Martinic.
The surname Martinac can also be found with the endings -o, -in, -ic, -ovic, and -ski, making the variants Martino, Martini, Martinic, Martinovic, and Martinovski respectively. In some cases, the surnames may even be combined into one with a dash, such as Martinic-Martino or Martino-Martinovski.
It's not uncommon to find surnames ending in -c, such as the Martinherc variant, again derived from the same origin.
Another related surname could be Martunic, which, although sharing a similar etymology, is found among Slovenian, Croatian, and Serbian people of Catholic faith rather than those of Orthodox or Muslim faith.
The surnames Martinovich and Martinovich are also found among those of South Slavic descent. These are derived from the Czech and Russian versions of the Martin surname, Martínković and Martínkov, respectively.
Regardless of the variation, the surnames all stem from the same origin and are typically found among those of recent South Slavic heritage.
Famous people with the name Martinac
- Božo Martinac, Croatian actor, writer, and academic
- Andrej Martinac, Croatian film producer and director
- Tomislav Martinac, Croatian artist
- Anja Martinac, Croatian actress and singer
- Luka Martinac, Croatian singer and songwriter
- Mladen Martinac, Serbian-Croatian actor
- Dimitrija Martinac, Serbian actor and voice actor
- Vladana Martinac, Serbian film producer, actor, director, and screenwriter
- Lada Martinac, Serbian visual artist and poet
- Daniel Martinac, Slovenian actor and journalist