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Zenon
PolishOrigins Team Leader

Joined: 28 Apr 2007
Replies: 1532
Location: Poland
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Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 7:30 am Post subject: Origins of Polish Surnames

Here is the place for you to ask or discuss about meaning and origin of your Polish sounding surname.

If you are already logged in just click 'postreply' button and write down question about surname or surnames you are interested in. You can also create a new topic about your surname.

If you are not registered yet click here first: How to register? It is easy and takes up to 2 minutes. to learn about very simple registration procedure or go directly to Register link at the top of this page.

Last edited by Zenon on Thu Feb 28, 2008 2:38 pm; edited 2 times in total

Light

Joined: 01 Dec 2013
Replies: 3

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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 12:37 pm Post subject: Juzyk

Zenon,
Thank you so much for your help. I am now on the right road to finding my families polish roots and hopefully living family in Poland..

Thanks again ..
Laurie Light

starkey76

Joined: 17 Sep 2013
Replies: 164
Location: Wheeling, WV USA
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Posted: Tue Jul 23, 2019 12:58 pm Post subject:

If you can trace the name back to early 1800's, I've noticed after finding many of the roots I was researching, many took their names from small villages. Rzeszotarski took their name from Rzeszotary, Siemiatkowski took their name from Siemiatkowo for example. Not all the time, but more than I would have thought. I found using google maps, I was able to zoom in and see villages that would not show when typed in. Bojanowo was where my great grandfather was born in 1878. It took me finding that Gradzanowo was a pinpoint. Once I zoomed in on Gradzanowo, I saw the small village of Bojanowo. Takes time.

mbp

Joined: 15 Jul 2019
Replies: 8
Location: Poland
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Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2019 6:16 am Post subject: Poczet nazwisk polskich - Polish surnames

http://nazwisko.blogspot.com/

Find your name there and ask for a translation.

Almacwik

Joined: 14 Jun 2016
Replies: 18

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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 4:26 pm Post subject:

Hi
I’m interested in finding out the origins of Cwik surname from Limanowa, krakow, Poland.
Thank you
_________________
I’m searching for family in Limanowa.
Tomás Cwik. Born around 1860. Married a woman named Annie. This is according to grandfathers marriage record.
His name was Franciszek Cwik.

MikeP

Joined: 27 Apr 2020
Replies: 29
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 5:48 pm Post subject: Cwik surname from Limanowa, Kraków, Poland

Hi,

I checked William Hoffman's "Polish Surnames" book (3rd edition) for the surname Ćwik. On page 114, there is the description "game bird, sparrow hawk; sly fellow with experience". The book also indicates that as of year 2002 approximately 4900 people in Poland have Ćwik as their surname.
Have you checked the Geneteka Website (https://geneteka.genealodzy.pl/)?

Mike

Mcintyre9070

Joined: 19 Jun 2025
Replies: 1
Location: USA
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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2025 9:47 am Post subject: Looking for origin of surname Rycz

My great grandfather's surname was RYCZ. I believe they immigrated in the early 1900's. I am looking for any information regarding origin and location. We do have heavily still in Poland, but all records and information on them has been lost with time.
Thank you
_________________
Allison McIntyre

MikeP

Joined: 27 Apr 2020
Replies: 29
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2025 10:24 pm Post subject: Looking for origin of surname Rycz

Hi Allison,

I've checked William Hoffman's "Polish Surnames" book. (Reference given in previous post.) I see that Rycz is the stem of several Polish surnames. A surname with the stem Rycz could originate from the verb ryczeć meaning "to howl, to yell, to roar". The surname Ryczek is the most common surname derived from this verb. Another possibility is that a surname with the stem Rycz could originate from a place name. In that case, we have Ryczkowski from the town Ryczków in province Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland), Ryczński from the town Ryczna in province Lubelski and Ryczwolski from one of several villages named Ryczwól.

These are several possibilities.

Mike

Lgubala

Joined: 25 Jun 2025
Replies: 1

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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2025 5:55 am Post subject: Looking for Gubała origin

I'd greatly appreciate any information you could help me find about the surname Gubała. Thank you.

-Lucas G

MikeP

Joined: 27 Apr 2020
Replies: 29
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2025 10:08 pm Post subject: Looking for Gubała origin

Hi Lucas,

This afternoon I took a look at William Hoffman's "Polish Surnames" book. In Volume II on page 225 the surname Gubała originates from the verb gubić - "to loose, ruin" or from the (archaic) verb gubać - "to close up, roll up, coil". Hoffman also indicates that as of year 2002 approximately 2288 people in Poland have Gubała as their surname.

Another source of Polish surname information is The Internet Dictionary of Surnames in Poland (https://nazwiska.ijppan.pl ). According to this site the surname Gubała is the most common in the provinces of Śląskie and Małopolskie.

Mike

Sophia
PO Top Contributor

Joined: 05 Oct 2014
Replies: 1533

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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2025 2:42 pm Post subject: Polish surnames

Hi Mike,

Can you please tell me what Hoffman has to say about the surnames Młynarski and Mynarski?

Thank you very much,
Sophia

MikeP

Joined: 27 Apr 2020
Replies: 29
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2025 5:04 pm Post subject: Surnames Młynarski and Mynarski

Hi Sophia,

The surname stem Młyn comes from młyn, "mill", młynek, "mill, grinder". It is occupational related. Here are several surnames with that stem: Młynarski from młynarski "of the miller, miller's", Młynarz from młynarz "miller" and Młynarczyk from "miller's apprentice". (See Page 458, Volume II.)

Hoffman lists surnames with the stem Mynar under Miner. They also derive from an occupation. In this case from miner "explosives specialist", "miner". Thus we have the surnames: Miner, Mynarski, Mynarek, and Mynarczyk. (See Page 453, Volume II.)

Mike

td85

Joined: 27 Oct 2020
Replies: 31
Location: Michigan, USA
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 3:07 am Post subject:

Could you tell me if the names Fizio, Dwulit or Kieszenia are in the book and, if so, what they mean? Thank you so much.

Sophia
PO Top Contributor

Joined: 05 Oct 2014
Replies: 1533

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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:51 am Post subject: Re: Surnames Młynarski and Mynarski

MikeP wrote:

I appreciate this, Mike, it is is very interesting to learn. I have been looking at records for a family that changed their name from Młynarski to Mynarski to make it easier for people to pronounce. Now I see what a change that made for them in terms of the meaning of their name.

Thank you very much,
Sophia

MikeP

Joined: 27 Apr 2020
Replies: 29
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:25 pm Post subject: Surnames: Fizio, Dwulit, Kieszenia

td85 wrote:

Could you tell me if the names Fizio, Dwulit or Kieszenia are in the book and, if so, what they mean? Thank you so much.

Hello td85,

Dwulit is similar to Dwulat. Dwulat is from dwa lata "two years". Thus, both surnames describe a physical feature. (See Page 152, Volume II.)

Fizio is close to the surname Fizia. The stem Fiz- is from the German personal name Fiess a noun meaning "sly enemy". (See Page 173, Volume II.)

I did not find Kieszenia in Hoffman's book. However, the stem Kies- is from the German personal name beginning Kess- or Kies-. Hoffman lists the following surnames with that stem: Kieś, Kieska, Kiesz, Kieszek and Kieszkiewicz. (See Page 303, Volume II.) It is possible that Kieszenia maybe a less common surname. Hoffman includes surnames borne by at least 100 Poles as of year 2002.

Mike

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