Surname Kraljic - Meaning and Origin

Kraljic: What does the surname Kraljic mean?

The last name Kraljic is a Croatian/Slavic surname. Literaly translated, it means 'king'. It is likely derived from the word 'Kralj', which is Croatian for 'king'. The last name likely originates from people of noble birth or those who held royal positions in the past.

Kraljic can also be a form of the Slavic name Kral, which is derived from the Old Slavic word for 'king'. With the suffix -jic added, it can mean 'son of the king' or 'descendant of the ruler'. Kraljic is found mainly in the countries of Croatia, Bosnia, Austria and Serbia. As an embarrassed form of the name, Kral is sometimes spelt as Kralic.

The surname is a popular part of many Slavic family trees, as it is a sign of having once been in service of a ruler. It can be a reminder of nobility and of the strength and legacy of a family. As such, those with the Kraljic surname may be proud of its rich history and can use it to honour their ancestors.

Kraljic: Where does the name Kraljic come from?

The last name Kraljic is most commonly found in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. It is a patronymic (derived from one's father or ancestor's given name) and is usually a Croat spelling for the Slavic "Králíček", which also is found in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The name is likely derived from a variation of the word "Král" (king) or its diminutive form "Králíček" (little king). The Kraljic surname is quite popular in Croatia, where it is the 63rd most common surname. It is fairly common in Bosnia and Herzegovina, ranking 91st, and sporadically found in Serbia.

The Kraljic surname has also spread to other countries outside of the former Yugoslav region. It has been found in the United States since the 1900s, with a large majority of the bearers of the surname coming from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. Additionally, there are some recorded bearers of the surname in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

This surname is still found in the countries of origin to this day, and can be found across the diaspora as well.

Variations of the surname Kraljic

Kraljic is a South Slavic surname derived from the word ‘Kralj’ meaning ‘king’ or ‘ruler’. It is found in many countries across Eastern and Southeastern Europe such as Croatia, Bosnia, and Serbia, as well as other countries with South Slavic populations. Common variants or spellings of Kraljic include Kraljevic, Kraljevich, Kraljovic, Kraljevitch, Kraljevich, Kraly, and Kralijevich.

Kraljic is also used as a surname in the German-speaking countries of Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. In German, the spelling of the surname changes slightly to Kräljic, Kräljevic, or Kräljvich. There are also variants for the Polish and Czech languages which include Králjic, Králjevic, and Králjvich.

Kraljic is an old noble family of Croatia, Bosnia, and Serbia. It is said that the name of the clan began with Kralj, a boy who was found abandoned in the woods and later adopted by a noble family, or derived from the term Kraljica which means queen. The noble family’s crest is usually a white crowned lion.

Many changes have been made to the spelling of this surname over time, and so it is quite common for families with the same surname to have different spellings. In some parts of the world, the surname Kralj has been altered over time to become spelled as Krall, Kraal or Craal. In addition, some branches of the Kraljic noble family have adopted a shortened version of the surname in order to become known as simply Krl, Krlić, or Krlež.

Famous people with the name Kraljic

• Nikola Kraljic, professional beach volleyball player who competed at the 2019 European Championships
• Filip Kraljic, Croatian goalkeeper for Diósgyőri VTK in the Nemzeti Bajnokság I
• Mladen Kraljic, Bosnian painter and sculptor
• Peter Kraljic, Slovenian comic book artist and instructor
• Mihalj Kraljic, Croatian architect
• Robert Kraljic, Croatian television actor
• Mary Kraljic, Croatian tennis coach and former player
• Ante Kraljic, Bosnian-Swiss pop singer and actor
• Dario Kraljic, Croatian American musician and composer
• Alen Kraljic, Croatian comic book artist and illustrator

Other surnames

KraljKraljevic