Meaning & History
Pavlič is a Slovene surname that means "son of Pavel." It belongs to a common type of South Slavic patronymic surnames formed by adding the suffix -ič (or -ić), indicating descent or lineage. The root name Pavel is itself a Slavic form of Paul, ultimately derived from the Latin Paulus, meaning "small" or "humble."
Etymology and History
The surname Pavlič is part of a wider network of family names derived from Paul across the Slavic world. Cognate forms include the Russian patronymic Pavlov (and its feminine counterpart Pavlova), Croatian Pavić, Armenian Boghosian and Poghosyan, and the Arabic Boulos.
Notable Bearers
The Pavlič spelling is specifically Slovene. Among notable individuals with this surname is Jure Pavlič, a former Yugoslav cyclist. Other forms of the name appear in related cultures: the Croatian Pavić is associated with the Pavlić noble family from Dubrovnik, and Pavlic (without the diacritic) is borne by Croatian speedway rider Jurica Pavlic and United States Navy officer Milton F. Pavlic. In Serbia, the variant Pavlić is seen with football striker Đorđe Pavlić.
Geographic Distribution
While Pavlič itself is most common in Slovenia, the wider family of names derived from Paul is distributed across Eastern and Southern Europe. The patronymic suffix -ič is characteristic of Slovene and South Slavic surnames indicating paternity.
- Meaning: Son of Pavel (Slavic form of Paul)
- Origin: Slovene
- Type: Patronymic surname
- Usage regions: Slovenia, South Slavic countries
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Pavlic