Throughout history, surnames in Poland, as in other Slavic nations, underwent different stages of development. Initially, Polish surnames were not hereditary, and people were often identified by their given names followed by their father's name or their place of origin. For example, someone named Jan, whose father's name was Stefan, could be identified as "Jan Stefanowicz" or "Jan z Krakowa" (Jan from Krakow).
Polish surnames also underwent changes and adaptations due to historical events and external influences. The partitions of Poland in the late 18th century and subsequent periods of foreign rule resulted in the Russification, Germanization, or other alterations of Polish surnames. Many Poles, especially those who emigrated, had their surnames modified to fit the phonetic and orthographic rules of the new language, resulting in variations or completely different surnames.
History of Polish surnames
Polish surnames first appeared during the 15th century and were primarily associated with the Polish nobility known as the "szlachta." Essentially, the Polish szlachta formed an esteemed military class with privileged status. In the process of forming military clans, each of them was based on territorial criteria and had its own name and coat of arms. The name of a military clan became part of the participant's surname within the military alliance. The other part of the surname for representatives of the Polish nobility corresponded to the name of the locality owned by a specific noble. Thus, the complete naming of the Polish nobility followed the following pattern: given name - personal surname - coat of arms name. For example, Jan Zamoyski of the Jelita coat of arms. Later on, in Polish surnames, the personal surname and the coat of arms name were written with a hyphen.
As a result of the aforementioned phenomena, many Polish surnames are connected either to the name of the ancestral estate or to the name of the coat of arms. Examples of such Polish surnames include:
During the period from the 17th to the 19th century, Polish surnames gradually spread to other social classes: initially, they were adopted by townspeople, and later by peasants.
The adoption of surnames by townspeople occurred as urban centers grew and became more organized. The need for identification and differentiation led to the adoption of surnames as a means of personal and family identification. Urban residents, including craftsmen, merchants, and professionals, began to acquire surnames in addition to their given names. These surnames often reflected their occupation, place of residence, or other distinguishing features.
The process of surnames being adopted by peasants occurred at a later stage. Peasants were primarily known by their given names and patronymics, which were derived from their father's name. However, as social structures evolved and new regulations were introduced, the need for fixed surnames arose. In some cases, surnames were assigned to peasants by the authorities, often based on their place of origin, occupation, or the name of their landlord. Over time, these surnames became hereditary and were passed down through generations within peasant communities.
Derivation of Polish surnames
_01.jpg)
Polish surnames, like most Slavic surnames, have masculine and feminine forms that differ in suffixes and endings. The most common surnames are adjectives with endings such as "-ski," "-cki," "-dzki" for the masculine form, and "-ska," "-cka," "-dzka" for the feminine form. For example, "Kowalski" (masculine) and "Kowalska" (feminine).[1]
There are also Polish surnames that follow different adjective patterns, such as those ending in "-y/-i" for the masculine form or "-a/-ya" for the feminine form. For example, Śmigly or Brylska.
Polish surnames that are nouns have the same form for both masculine and feminine genders. Examples of such surnames include:
Origin of Polish surnames
Most Polish surnames fall into one of three categories: toponymic, patronymic/matronymic, and cognominal.
Toponymics
Toponymic surnames in Polish refer to those that are derived from place names or geographical features. These surnames often reflect the ancestral connection of individuals to specific locations or regions. One common type of toponymic surname in Polish is derived from the name of a village, town, or city. For example, the surname Krakowski indicates an association with the city of Krakow, while Gdański signifies a connection to the city of Gdańsk.
In addition to specific locations, toponymic surnames can also be derived from natural features of the landscape. For instance, surnames like Jeziorański (related to a lake) or Borowski (related to a forest) indicate a connection to specific natural elements found in Poland's geographical setting.
Furthermore, toponymic surnames can extend beyond Polish borders, reflecting historical connections and migrations. Polish history has been marked by territorial changes and population movements, resulting in surnames with toponymic origins that span neighboring countries. Surnames such as Pruski (related to Prussia), Lwowicz (related to Lviv), or Litwak (related to Lithuania) exemplify this broader regional influence.
Surnames ending in the letters -owski usually derive from place names ending with -y, -ow, -owo, or -owa.
Example: Grzybowski, meaning someone from the town of Grzybów.[2]
Matronymics or patronymics
Surnames falling into this category typically originate from the first name of a male predecessor, although there are instances where they derive from the first name of a female predecessor who held a position of wealth or high regard.
Suffixes "-ski" and "-cki" are commonly used to form patronymic surnames. These suffixes are added to the father's name, which is usually in the genitive form, to create the surname. For example, if the father's name is Jan, the patronymic surname would be Jankowski or Janicki, indicating that the person is the son of Jan. Similarly, if the father's name is Andrzej, the resulting patronymic surname could be Andrzejewski or Andrzejczyk.
Surnames that feature suffixes such as "icz," "wicz," "owicz," "ewicz," and "ycz" often indicate a patronymic meaning of "son of." Similarly, Polish surnames containing suffixes with the letter "k" such as "czak," "czyk," "iak," "ak," "ek," "ik," and "yk" commonly convey the significance of "little" or "son of." The same holds true for the suffixes "yc" and "ic," which are predominantly found in names of Eastern Polish origin.
Cognominal
Cognominal surnames in Polish can be categorized into two main types. The first type comprises surnames derived from a person's occupation. Many of these occupational surnames stem from the historically prominent professions in Polish society. Notable examples include:
- Kowalski (blacksmith)
- Krawczyk (tailor)
- Kaczmarek (innkeeper)
- Cieślak (carpenter)
- Kołodziejski (wheelwright)
- Bednarz (cooper)
On the other hand, descriptive surnames often originated from nicknames or affectionate names that emphasized a physical characteristic or personal trait of the original bearer of the name.
For instance, the name "Jan Wysocki" translates to "Tall John," underscoring the person's height or stature.
Religious origin
One of the main peculiarities of Polish surnames is their connection with Christian and church tradition. They might be derived not only from Biblical names, but also from the names of holidays, rituals and traditions, the afterlife, denominations, and a person’s attitude and behavior in terms of Christianity.[3] For instance, the surnames like:
- Miłosierny (merciful)
- Nieczysty (impure)
- Grzeszny (sinful)
- Grzesznik (sinner)
One common type of surname derived from Christian notions is the use of Biblical names as surnames. Individuals were often given surnames based on the names of prominent figures from the Bible, such as Adam, Abraham, or Jakub. These surnames served as a way to honor religious figures or express religious devotion within the family lineage.
Additionally, surnames derived from religious titles or positions within the Church were also prevalent. For example, surnames like: Kapłan (priest), Paprocki (papal), or Diak (deacon) indicate a connection to the clergy or religious service. These surnames often denote a family's involvement in religious life or the inheritance of ecclesiastical roles.
Another category of surnames derived from church notions includes those reflecting religious concepts or practices. For instance, surnames like Kościelny (church-related), Wierzbicki (from "wierzyć," meaning "to believe"), or Modlitwa (prayer) convey religious associations or emphasize the importance of faith in the family's identity.
Celebrities with Polish surnames
- Roman Polanski, Polish director
- Karol Wojtyła, Pope John Paul II
- Robert Lewandowski, Polish football player
Most common Polish surnames:
See also
Explore more about Polish surnames:
- Researching your Polish family history at MyHeritage
- Polish Historical Records at MyHeritage
- Poland family history records at MyHeritage
- Ethnicity map of Poland at MyHeritage
- Polish state archives
- Polish Genealogy Reference at PolishRoots
- A Foreigner's Guide to Polish surnames at Culture.pl
- National Census 2011, 2021 at Statistics Poland
References
- ↑ https://masher-m.livejournal.com/8855.html
- ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/polish-surname-meanings-and-origins-1420793
- ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sergey-Goryaev/publication/323391547_Monastic_idea_in_wine_trademarks_peculiarities_of_the_Russian_market/links/6037777e299bf1cc26ec7c31/Monastic-idea-in-wine-trademarks-peculiarities-of-the-Russian-market.pdf
- ↑ https://forebears.io/poland/surnames