Marek
A surname of several possible Central and Eastern European origins, often related to the given name Mark/Marcus.
The #4,420 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 38,392 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Marek is widely used in Slavic languages as the form of Mark, ultimately from Latin Marcus. In surname use, it most likely began as a patronymic or as a family name taken from a bearer of that given name. Some older German surname dictionaries also connect forms like Marek with the Mark/Marcus name group in neighboring regions.
History
The surname appears in areas where Germanic and Slavic naming traditions met, especially Bohemia and nearby Central European regions. It is also found in Lusatian/Sorbian contexts, which fits its spread through multilingual borderlands. In modern usage it is common as a Slavic surname and as a given name as well.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Marek is not only a surname but also a common given name across much of Central Europe, which can make surname records tricky to interpret.
From the historical record
“Mar- s. Mar (V., einst. K.). Mär- s. Mar (einst. K). Mareh-, Marek-, Märek- s. Mark I. Marens II. lat.; St. Marcus der Evangelist. FN. Marcus; Markes — zsgz. Marks, Marx (Marx als VN. im KB.). Gen . Mard. Mardersteigr s. Martersteok. Marggraf s. Markgraf.”
— Die deutschen Familiennamen