Sedlak- Background

Background

The Sedlak Group Project is open to all with the surname Sedlak or other Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, or German versions, Anglicized versions of these European names, as well as several other surnames historically linked with the Old Bohemian and Moravian social class/caste and later families. The sedlaky (plural) were a class of early medieval freemen who owned their own land (often large parcels), one level below the nobility, and a level above the free small holders and two above the tenant farmers who did not own land; the dvoraky (> surname Dvorak) were also freemen. Members within this social class very likely intermarried before the class name was a true surname.The goals of the project are to determine the relatedness of Sedlaks around the world.

Sedlaks from Bohemia and Moravia migrated to the Felvidek (northern Hungary, now mostly Slovakia), as well as other parts of what are today Hungary, Austria, and Germany. With these migrations, there were some spelling changes, as Czech 's' makes the /s/ sound, while Hungarian 'sz' makes /s/ and 's' makes /sh/. A Rusyn/Ruthenian version of the surname also exists: S(z)ellek, later changed to versions like Selleck. Also, over time, some Sedlak clans in the Old World were given noble status via service to leaders as well as their continued landowning status. However, oldest sons usually inherited land, while younger sons usually entered the clergy or military (cadet branches). These noble families have other names associated with the Sedlak segment, such as Harkenfeld, Lichthofen, Augezdec, and several others. Names like Sedlaček and Sedlacky/Sedlecky have diminutive endings. While they belonged in this social class before the caste name became a true surname (as well as many afterwards), it is believed that they held a smaller amount of land than the sedlaky.

Czech Sedlaks (and other Czechs) in the 19th century mainly settled in the heartland of North America (Nebraska, Kansas, parts of Texas, parts of the Dakotas, So. Minnesota and Canadian prairie), while Hungarian Sedlaks (and most other Magyars) in the late 18th, entire 19th, and early-mid 20th century usually settled near or in Eastern urban areas such as NYC (e.g. Little Hungary in the Upper East Side), Bridgeport/Fairfield (CT), Cleveland-Sandusky-Toledo, Philadelphia-Trenton-New Brunswick, Detroit-Dearborn-Ann Arbor, New Haven, Pittsburgh-McKeesport, Toronto, etc. There were further spelling changes in the New World, such as change of the Hungarian Sz- to S-, change of -lak to -lack or even -lock, and removal of the Czech, Slovak, and Hungarian acute accent on the a: S(z)edla'k --> S(z)edlak, etc. 

Sedlak is a moderately common surname in the Czech republic, a moderately rare surname in Slovakia and Hungary, and a relatively rare surname in the U.S. (~17,500th in frequency). There are likely only a dozen or two dozen individual Sedlak/Sedlack clans in the U.S. and we would like to define them and elucidate their origins. In particular, the family and group administrator associated with this site would like to find other Sedlak members in the US (and Old World) from the Felvidek, and to link CT/NYC Sedlaks with OH Sedlaks, as some of the CT Sedlaks had family who lived in OH at the turn of the last century, and these contacts have been lost. And, ultimately, to link all US Sedlaks with Old World lines. Surnames eligible for joining (this list is not exhaustive) :  Sedlak, Sedlack, Sedlák, Szedlák, Szedlak, Sedlock, Shedlack, Shedlock, Sedlecky, Sedlacky, Sedlaky, Sedleck, Sedlaček, Sedlaczek, Sedlacsek, Sellek, Selleck, Szellek, Sedmeier, Sedmeyer, Sedlmeier, Sedlmeyer, Sedillac; (von) Harkenfeld, (von) Lichthofen, (von) Augezdec, (von) Proskau, Pruskowsky, Pruskovszky, etc.; Borsodi, Abauji, Boczardi, Bocsardi, Szalai, Szalay, Bocsardi, Zichy, Sepessy, Szepessy; Slezsak, Sleszak, Szeplak, Seplak, Seplack; Dvorak, and Dvorzak; Oravecz, Oravecs, Maczko, Macsko, Nehaj, Nahaj, Sczerbak, Scserbak, Scherbak.