Holub
A Slavic surname from a word meaning “dove” or “pigeon,” likely first given as a nickname or identifying byname.
The #9,615 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 91,345 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Holub comes from a Slavic word for “dove” or “pigeon,” especially Czech and Slovak holub. As a surname, it was most likely first used as a nickname, perhaps for a gentle person or someone associated in some way with the bird. In some Slavic naming traditions, animal nicknames later became inherited family names.
History
The surname is found across several Slavic-speaking regions and also in diaspora communities in North America. It is especially associated with Czech and Slovak usage, but similar forms occur in neighboring Slavic languages as well. The name’s spread abroad reflects 19th- and 20th-century migration from Central and Eastern Europe.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In Czech and Slovak, holub still means “dove,” so the surname is directly tied to a common bird word that became a family name.