Post by Jan Slechta

 Jan Slechta

Hey guys, firstly sorry for my English. I'm not from the US or Uk, so that's the reason. I'd like to share some information about our last name. Well, as I said, I'm not from the US or UK. I'm from Czech Republic (part of former Czechoslovakia which was a part of former Austrian-Hungary Empire). I'm pretty sure, that o...ur last name orginate from czech "Šlechta". "Šlechta" means "nobility" in Czech language. You can also find this last name written as "Schlecht", but it's a german translation of the word "bad". But because of the fact that you can find the most of Slechtas in Czech Republic, I think the Czech translation is correct. This last name is also older then Austrain-Hungary Empire, so the Šlechta was probably just transcribed to "Schlechta" during the German rule (cuz all officails had to speak and write in German).

 Jan Slechta

Ok, so there is also more evidences to think that czech translation is correct.
Probably the most known of Slechtas is Jan Šlechta ze Všehrd, he was a Czech humanist and diplomat. He worked at the court of the King Vladislas II of Hungary (czech: Vladislav II. Jagelonský) of the Jagiellon dynasty and had a great influence on his statesmanship (politics, policy - don't know proper translation). At the time he lived his name was written as "Sslechta Iohannes" - they started to change ss to š (well it wasn't Š, it was s with dot on the top). So I think the Sslechta is Czech last name. So, there are more people with last name Schlechta. For example Antonín Vincenc Šlechta (born March 14th 1810 in Lomnice nad Popelkou - died January 2nd 1886 in Sedmihorky) was known czech doctor and founder of spa in Sedmihorky (close to Karlovice).

 Jan Slechta

And there are more and more Slechta (or Schlechta). For example:
around 1480 Antoš Šlechta
around 1515 Václav Šlechta
around 1420 Mikuláš Šlechta z Miličína
the dynasty of Šlechta ze Všehrd has also their own coat-of-arms (head of the wolf on the cloud)... 
Most of Šlechta's families lived in the Bohemia, but there are also many of Slechta in Moravia. Both Moravia and Bohemia are the major parts of the Czech Republic.
But it's really difficult to creat the whole family tree, so who knows if anyone of us originate from this ancestry.  I'd be glad to get any information about your ancestors and you of course. :)

Posted on Facebook in the group Are you a SLECHTA?

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