Humanities › History & Culture The Meaning of the Name Kovacs Print Stefano Oppo/Getty Images History & Culture Genealogy Surnames Basics Genealogy Fun Vital Records Around the World American History African American History African History Ancient History and Culture Asian History European History Inventions Latin American History Medieval & Renaissance History Military History The 20th Century Women's History View More By Kimberly Powell Kimberly Powell Genealogy Expert Certificate in Genealogical Research, Boston University B.A., Carnegie Mellon University Kimberly Powell is a professional genealogist and the author of The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy. She teaches at the Genealogical Institute of Pittsburgh and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on July 03, 2019 Kovács (Ковач) is a surname that means "forger" or "smith" in the Hungarian language, from the Slavonic Kovaè. The Hungarian equivalent to the English surname Smith, Kovács is the second most common surname in Hungary. Kovacs is the second most common Hungarian surname according to surname distribution data from Forebears. Surname Origin: Hungarian, Slavic Alternate Surname Spellings: KOVATS, KOVAC, KOVAT, KOVATS, KOVACH, KOWAL, KOVAL Fun Facts About the Kovács Surname The Kovacs surname most commonly originates from Hungary, although this is not always the case. Similar surnames include Kovach (Carpatho-Ruthenian), Kowal (Poland) and Koval (Ukraine). The singular Kovac may be the original surname, an adaptation of Kovacs, or a shortened version of a longer name such as Dukovac. These are all just general guidelines, however. The specific surname variation used by your family may also be something as simple as a spelling change and have nothing to do with its original origin. Famous People With the Surname Read More SZABO Surname Meaning and Origin By Kimberly Powell Ernie Kovacs, popular American television comedianLászló Kovács, legendary cinematographerTom Kovach, American author and activistLuca Kovač, a fictional character (doctor) portrayed by Goran Višnjić on the American television series ER Genealogy Resources Kovacs/Kovats FamilyTree DNA ProjectThis Y-DNA project is open to all individuals with the surnames Kovacs, Kovats, or any derivative such as Kovaks, Kovak, Kovac, Kohen, Kohan, Kohn, Kovan, etc., of any ethnic or religious background. Kovacs Family Crest - It's Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Kovacs family crest or coat of arms for the Kovacs surname. Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. Kovács Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Kovács surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Kovács query. The Kovacs Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the popular last name Kovacs from the website of Genealogy Today. Source: Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph. Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Powell, Kimberly. "The Meaning of the Name Kovacs." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/kovacs-last-name-meaning-and-origin-1422544. Powell, Kimberly. (2020, August 27). The Meaning of the Name Kovacs. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/kovacs-last-name-meaning-and-origin-1422544 Powell, Kimberly. "The Meaning of the Name Kovacs." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/kovacs-last-name-meaning-and-origin-1422544 (accessed April 26, 2024). copy citation