Novak
1274827
223227144
2008-07-03T03:52:02Z
72.70.85.14
{{refimprove|date=July 2007}}
'''Novák''', '''Novak''' or '''Nowak''' is the most common [[Poland|Polish]], [[Czech Republic|Czech]], [[Slovakia|Slovakian]] and [[Slovenia|Slovenian]]<ref>[http://www.stat.si/eng/imena_top_priimki.asp :: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia - Database of first names and family names ::<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> surname.
The name is derived from ''nový'' (=new), meaning something similar to '''new man''', '''newcomer''' or '''stranger''' in English. The name was often given to someone who came to a new city or a convert to Christianity.
It is usually spelt Novák in Czech and Slovak, Nowak in Polish, and Novak in Slovenian, and pronounced the same way. Many Americans of the surname Nowak have had it [[Anglicized]] to Novak.
In Poland, it is spelled Nowak, and 203,506 people carry this surname. The archaic feminine version of the Polish version is '''Nowakowa''' and its plural '''Nowakowie'''. In that country, [[Nowakowski]], [[Nowacki]], and [[Nowakiewicz]] developed as well.
There are two noble family Nowak of Polish origin:
*in [[Silesia]] from 15th c., (Anatol Nowak, [[archbishop of Wrocław]], died in [[1456]]), Bohemian barones from [[1660]].
*in Masovia known from [[1750]], Antoni and Józef Nowak - LtGenerals of Polish Army in Napoleon's Campaign; Aleksander Nowak - LtGen in Polish-Russian War of [[1831]]
"Nowak" as a surname in [[Voivodeship]]s (administrative units in Poland):
* Nowak is 1st in [[Greater Poland Voivodeship]] (35,011)
* Nowak is 1st in [[Silesian Voivodeship]] (31,838)
* Nowak is 1st in [[Lesser Poland Voivodeship]] (23,671)
* Nowak is 1st in [[Łódź Voivodeship]] (15,460)
* Nowak is 1st in [[Lower Silesian Voivodeship]] (13,217)
* Nowak is 1st in [[West Pomeranian Voivodeship]] (7,444)
* Nowak is 1st in [[Opole Silesia Voivodeship]] (5,538)
* Nowak is 1st in [[Lubusz Voivodeship]] (5,444)
* Nowak is 1st in [[Swietokrzyskie Voivodeship]] (5,538)
* Nowak is 2nd in [[Subcarpathian Voivodship]] (9,301)
In German speaking countries, it is also spelled '''Nowak'''. For example, in the [[Austria|Austrian]] capital of [[Vienna]], where large Czech communities settled down at the end of 19th century, where the "w" is pronounced as a "v".
Novack is found in [[Slavic languages|Slavic speaking]] countries (e.g. [[Serbia]], [[Croatia]], etc.) as well. In [[Croatia]] it is the second most common surname. In [[Serbia]], there are people that have the first name '''Novak'''. [[Novaković]] also developed in [[Serbia]].
Novák is the most common surname in the [[Czech republic]].
== Famous people: Novaks ==
* [[Alicia Novak]] - American rock star
* [[Novak Đjoković]] - [[Serbs|Serbian]] Professional Tennis Player
* [[Kim Novak]] (born Marilyn Pauline Novak [[February 13]], [[1933]]) is an American [[actress]]
* [[Michael Novak]] (born [[1933]]) is a [[American conservatism|conservative]] [[Roman Catholic]] [[United States|American]] philosopher and diplomat
* [[Slobodan Novak]] (b.1924) - Croat writer
* [[Vjenceslav Novak]] (1859-1903) - Croat writer
* [[Tereza Nováková]] (1853-1922) - Czech writer
* [[Robert Novak]] - Conservative political commentator
* [[Nick Novak]] - Professional American Football Player ([[Placekicker|kicker]])
* [[Jan Novák]] - Czech composer
* [[Arne Novák]]
* [[B. J. Novak]]
* [[Brandon Novak]], American celebrity and skateboarder
* [[Casey Novak]], a fictional character in [[Law_%26_Order:_Special_Victims_Unit|Law & Order: SVU]].
* Catherine Nowak
* [[David Novak]]
* [[Đoni Novak]]
* [[Elliot Novak]]
* [[Éva Novák-Gerard]]
* [[Ferenc Novák]]
* [[Filip Novak]]
* [[Gabi Novak]]
* [[Harry Novak]]
* [[Jan Novák]]
* [[Jane Novak]]
* [[Jason Novak]]
* [[Jessica Novak]]
* [[Jiří Novák]]
* [[Joe Novak]]
* [[John Novak]]
* [[Kate Novak]]
* [[Kayvan Novak]]
* [[Kevin Novak]]
* [[Ladislav Novák]]
* [[Laila Novak]]
* [[Lindsey Novak]]
* [[Ljudmila Novak]]
* [[Mel Novak]]
* [[Michael Novak]]
* [[Mike Novak]]
* [[Nick Novak]]
* [[Robert Novak]], American journalist (not related to Viveca Novak)
* [[Steve Novak]], basketball player
* [[Tom Novak]]
* [[Vera Louise Gorman-Novak]]
* [[Vilmos Aba Novák]]
* [[Vítězslav Novák]] Czech Composer
* [[Viveca Novak]], American journalist (not related to Robert Novak)
* [[Vjenceslav Novak]]
* [[Vladimir Novak]] (1904 – 1986), Czechoslovakian nordic skier
== Famous people: Nowaks ==
* Catherine Nowak
* [[Edmund Nowak]] (b. 1918) - Polish mechanical engineer, inventor
* [[Edmund Nowak]] (b. 1937) - Polish businessman
* [[Henry J. Nowak]] (b. 1935) - Member of United States House of Representatives (1975-1993)
* [[Henry J. "Hank" Nowak]] (b. 1968) - Buffalo City Court Judge
* [[Jan Nowak (geologist)|Jan Nowak]] (1880-1940) - Polish geologist, paleontologist, professor of [[Jagiellonian University|UJ]]
* [[Jan Nowak-Jeziorański]] (1913-2005) - Polish journalist and WWII hero
* Joanne Nowak (b. 1984) - 573rd in line to the British throne
* [[Jerzy Nowak]] (b. 1923) - Polish actor
* [[Józef Nowak]] (1885-1878) - Upper Lusatian poet
* [[Józef Nowak]] (1925-1984) - Polish actor
* [[Józef Nowak]] (b. 1935) - Polish educational ativist and politician
* [[Julian Ignacy Nowak]] (1865-1946) - Polish physician, veterinarian, bacteriologist, politician
* [[Kazimierz Nowak]] (1897-1937) - Polish traveler
* [[Kazimierz Nowak (professor of timber technology)|Kazimierz Nowak]] (b. 1925) - Polish professor of timber technology
* [[Kazimierz Nowak (professor of law)|Kazimierz Nowak]] (b. 1915) - Polish professor of law
* [[Leopold Nowak]] (1904-1991) - Austrian musicologist
* [[Leopold Rene Nowak]] (b. 1934) - Polish director, scenarist, actor and journalist
* [[Leszek Nowak]] (b. 1933) - Polish professor of philosophy
* [[Lisa Nowak]], (b. 1963) - American astronaut
* [[Mark Nowak]], (b.1964) - American poet and writer
* [[Nicholas Nowak]] (b. 1986) - Currently Attending St. Louis College of Pharmacy
* [[Martin Nowak]] - Austrian mathematical biologist
* [[Piotr Nowak]], (b. 1964) - Polish footballer now Assistant Manager of the [[United States national soccer team]]
* [[Roman Nowak]] (1900-1980) - Polish trade union activist and politician
* [[Stanisław Nowak]] (b. 1937) - Polish politician
* [[Stefan Nowak]] (b. 1925) - Polish sociologist
* [[Tadeusz Nowak]] (b. 1930) - Polish poet
* [[Tadeusz Nowak]] (b. 1930) - Polish writer
* [[Zbigniew Nowak]] (b. 1926) - Polish general and politician
* [[Zenon Nowak]] (1905-1980) - Polish trade union activist and politician
* [[Juliusz Nowak-Dłużewski]] (1893-1972) - Polish historian of literature
* [[Merican Nowak-Njechorinski]] (b. 1900) - Upper Lusatian writer, painter and publicist
* John Joeph Nowak (b. 1988)- United States Marine
==Other==
* [[Novak Electronics]], manufacturer of radio control electronic equipment
* Novak, type of gunsight for automatic pistols.
==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Polish surnames]]
[[Category:Slovak surnames]]
[[Category:Slovene surnames]]
[[category:Czech surnames]]
[[category:jewish surnames]]
{{disambig}}
[[de:Novak]]
[[fr:Novak]]
[[pl:Nowak]]
[[sl:Novak]]