Is your family name among the top 10 Polish surnames?
The most popular Polish last names
Compiled by Robert Strybel
Warsaw Correspondent and onomastician (name researcher)
Here in descending order are the most popular Polish family names together with their meaning and probable origin. If yours is not among them, perhaps you know or have known someone who answered to them.
1. NOWAK: from “nowy” (new); newcomer, new man or new guy in town.
2. KOWALSKI: from “kowal” (blacksmith); could have emerged to describe the blacksmith’s son or helper or someone otherwise connected with the smithy.
3. WIŚNIEWSKI: from “wiśnia” (sour-cherry tree; a typical toponymic derived from localities called Wiśniew and Wiśniewo (Cherryville).
4. WÓJCIK: diminutive of “wójt” (the mayor of a cluster of hamlets ad villages; probably a patronymic denoting the mayor’s son.
5. KOWALCZYK: patronymic of “kowal” meaning the blacksmith’s son or helper.
6. KAMIŃSKI: from “kamień” (stone, rock) esp. localities named Kamień roughly translatable as Rockville, Rockbury, Stoneton or Stoneburg.
7. LEWANDOWSKi: toponymic from place-name Lewandów (Lavenderville).
8. ZIELIŃSKI: from “zielony” (the color green9 or toponyms lie Zielin and Zielina.
9. SZYMAŃSKI: from place-name Szymany (Simonville) or first name Szyman, a variant of Szymon (Simon).
10. WOŹNIAK: patronymic from “woźny” (court crier) denoting the court crier’s son.
NOTE: To learn all about your own Polish surname – its origin, meaning, number of users, where the are from and whether a noble coat of arms goes with it, please contact: [email protected]
