Where Does the Novak Surname Come From?

Families named Novak share their surname's story with Nowak, of which it is a variant. Taken at its root, Novak points to “Newcomer”. Spelled with “v” instead of “w”, Novak shows how the same name was heard and written differently. Spellings drifted because names were written down by ear in parish books, tax rolls and passenger lists.

Other spellings include Nowakowski.

There is no single Novak family crest for every bearer. Herald Lab researches the arms historically associated with the name and explains whose they were. For the full story, order the Novak surname pack.