Macko is a Slovak surname derived from a diminutive of the given name Matej. Matej itself is the Slovak form of Matthias, which comes from the Greek Ματθίας (Matthias), a variant of Ματθαῖος (Matthew). In the New Testament, Matthias is the apostle chosen to replace Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:21–26).Etymology and HistoryThe surname Macko belongs to a common Slavic pattern of forming surnames from diminutive versions of given names, often ending in -ko. Such surnames were typically patronymic, indicating “son of” or “descendant of” the name's bearer. Given its origin from Matej, Macko can thus be interpreted as “little Matej” or “son of Matej.” The related feminine form is Macková, which uses the typical Slovak feminine suffix -ová.Notable BearersSeveral individuals have borne this surname. Joe Macko (1928–2014) was an American baseball player and manager who played minor league baseball and later became the longtime radio announcer for the Texas Rangers. His son, Steve Macko (1954–1981), also played in Major League Baseball as an infielder, mostly with the Chicago Cubs. Viliam Macko (born 1981) is a Slovak footballer who has played as a forward for various clubs in the Slovak Super Liga and abroad.Related NamesSurnames with identical or similar roots occur across other languages and cultures: for example, the Armenian Matevosian and Matevosyan, Bulgarian Mateev and Mateeva, Catalan Mateu, and Croatian Matić all derive from Matthew or Matthias.Meaning: “son of little Matej”Origin: Diminutive of Matej, Slovak form of Matthias/MatthewType: SurnameUsage: Slovak