Bodnar
A Slavic surname usually linked to a cooper or barrel-maker.
The #6,214 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 56,115 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Bodnar is a surname built from a Slavic occupational word for a cooper, a maker or repairer of barrels, casks, and other wooden vessels. The core idea is straightforward: the name originally identified someone by trade. In several East-Central European languages, related forms point to the same craft and were later fixed as hereditary surnames.
History
The surname is especially associated with Ukrainian and other East Slavic or West Slavic communities, where occupational bynames commonly became family names. It spread into North America through immigration from places such as Galicia, Carpathian regions, and neighboring Slavic-speaking areas. Variants and closely related forms appear across several languages, reflecting local spelling and pronunciation.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In traditional village economies, a cooper was a highly valued craftsperson because barrels were essential for storing grain, drink, and salted foods.