Bednar Families

 Spelling variations; Bednarz, Bodnar, Bednář, and Bednár.

The Bednar surname means "cooper," which is a traditional craftsman who makes and repairs wooden barrels, casks, and tubs.   The root word comes from Slavic terms for a wooden chest or tub—such as the Czech word bedna (wooden case or box).   Bednars were vital in medieval villages and towns. They built the wooden barrels needed to store and ship beer, wine, grain, and salted meat.   The Bednars associated with this family come from the Polish/Slovak border region (Spis, Galicia) to include the towns of Plavec, Osikov, Frydman, and Spisska Stara Ves.

Kolodzey Connection

The Bednar family is connected to the Kolodzey family through the Pekar Line merged at Franciscus Kolodzey and Maria Erma Pekar.

Family Motto

Slovak:  „Z dreva sila, z práce česť“English: “From wood comes strength, from work comes honor.”

Crest Description

Arms azure, a barrel proper bound argent, surmounted in bend by a cooper’s adze Or hafted proper; in chief a heart Gules; in base three fir trees argent issuant from a mount vert.  Upon a tilting helm affronté with mantling Azure doubled Or, a bear’s paw proper grasping a cooper’s mallet Or.  Dexter, a stag proper attired Or; sinister, a bear proper rampant guardant; both standing upon a compartment of carved wood proper.   On a scroll Or inscribed in sable letters:  „Z dreva sila, z práce česť“ in English -  “From wood comes strength, from work comes honor.”

Symbolism

• Azure field — steadfastness and loyalty, echoing the Poprad valley’s deep blue skies.
• Barrel and adze — the Bednár’s ancestral craft of coopering, emblem of industrious skill.
• Heart Gules — familial devotion and vitality.
• Fir trees — the forests that sustained their trade.
• Bear’s paw and mallet — strength and mastery of woodwork.
• Stag and bear supporters — vigilance and courage, drawn from Carpathian fauna.r.