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THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME?


boletus  30 | 1356
1 May 2012   #2641
"Czyk" is associated with Polish royality back in the 15th century, under the reign of Kazimierz IV

There is not an iota of truth in this statement.

The suffix -CZYK signifies a Polish version of a son of somebody, such as in RYBACZYK (son of RYBAK, a fisherman), KOWALCZYK (son of KOWAL, a smith). The Ukrainian version would use the suffix -CZUK, Americanized as -CHUCK .

On the other hand, the prefix BEZ- means "without" in Polish.

but I cannot decipher the rest of the last name.

BEZRUDCZYK:

It is very probable that the surname BEZRUDCZYK is connected to the word RUDA, an ORE, except that in the Old Polish that word had several meanings. It mainly meant the same thing which it has now - "an ore, or specifically and iron ore from which iron is melted.'" The second meaning is "a red soil" and the last one means "a swamp". Those three names are not mutually exclusive since it is well known that iron can be found in so-called RUDA DARNIOWA (turf iron ore) and RUDA BAGIENNA (swamp iron ore). The adjective RUDY/RUDA also means a red colour, as it can be seen anywhere where iron is present. And finally, a noun RUDY/RUDA also means a redhead (male/female).

So for example, if an early iron ore prospector, who often came back empty handed, only with samples of barren rocks, BEZ RUDY (with no ore) he could be teased as BEZRUDY.

His son could then inherit the nick BEZRUDCZYK, after his father's nick.

Alternative explanation:
If by any chance BEZRUDCZYK is a corrupted version of BEZRODCZYK then its etymology dramatically changes. The root of the words becomes RÓD (Pan-Slavic ROD), meaning an extended family, a clan, a tribe. From this a family in a narrow sense could be derived: Polish RODZINA, Pan-Slavic RODINA.

Consequently BEZ-ROD-CZYK would mean a son of somebody without family, without parents, orphaned.
OP Polonius3  980 | 12275
1 May 2012   #2642
Further following that line of reasoning, it might have originally been Bezradczyk. Someone unable to cope with things, a helpless and unresourceful loser could have been locally dubbed bezradny. When he fathered a son: Bezradcyzk.

When we are dealing with old handwritten docments, confusion is often possible. Someone might have not brought together the two prongs of a lower-case handwritten 'a' making it look like a 'u'.

LANCKOROŃSKI: toponymic tag from Lanckorona, a village south of Kraków set up by German colonists in the 13th century; the original German name was Landskrone.
LAB61  1 | 1
2 May 2012   #2643
[Moved from]: Lanckoronski

Does anyone have information on Count Lanckoronski, who owned a manor house in Lusławice, outside on Krakow, in the 1800's? My great-great grandmother worked for him. I am interested in any information with regard to the Count and his family.

Lisa
poppylion
2 May 2012   #2645
My last name is Przepasniak. Any clue what this means? All I know is that "iak" means "son of."
OP Polonius3  980 | 12275
2 May 2012   #2646
PRZEPAŚNIAK: Indeed, this looks to be a nickname-turned-surname of patronymic origin. Przepastny means spacious, broad, capacious, extemnsive, etc. Was the father nicknamed Przepastny (possibly simplified to Przepasny) becuase of his hulky size or some other reason? Whatever the case, when he sired a son, fellow-villagers could have called the offpsring Przepaśniak.
boletus  30 | 1356
2 May 2012   #2647
All I know is that "iak" means "son of."

That's true.
Przepaśniak:
73 persons in Poland use surname Przepaśniak (with s-acute) - mostly in Jarosław district (14) and in town of Przemyśl (9) - but none of Przepasniak.

See moikrewni.pl/mapa/kompletny/przepa%25C5%259Bniak.html

According to "Stankiewicze", surname Przepaśniak comes either from a dialect word "przepastnik" (Satan, a resident of hell), or from an Old Polish "przepastny" (cautious, prudent) , stankiewicze.com/index.php?kat=44&sub=761

But there are two more words that could form a root of this surname: przepaska and przepaść.

1. przepaska - headband, scarf
2. przepaska na biodra - loincloth, sash
3. przepaska na włosy - bandeau
4. przepaska na oko - eyepatch

1. przepaść (also otchłań, czeluść, odmęt) - abyss
2. przepaść (also otchlań) - chasm
3. przepaść (also urwisko, czeluść) - precipice
4. przepaść (verb, here: zginąć) - to get lost
OP Polonius3  980 | 12275
3 May 2012   #2648
SZAWIC/SZAWICZ: a surname of patronymic origin probably derived from the first name Szaweł (Saul).
gadeborski  2 | 16
4 May 2012   #2649
What about Szcześniak?

In one record, it looks like it was written as Czesniak. Are these phonetically similar and/or from similar roots?
OP Polonius3  980 | 12275
4 May 2012   #2650
SZCZEŚNIAK/SZCZĘŚNIAK: both forms exist and most likely arose as patronymics for the son of Szczesny, Szczestny or Szczęsny (happy, joyful), the Polish equivalent of Felix. In the 15th and 126th century the nasal vowel 'ę' was missing more oftne than not.

CZEŚNIAK: this is a separate name in its own right dervied from Czesny or Czestny -- an archaic word for honest, upright or honourable.. (The greeting cześć means little more than 'hi' today but once meant 'honour to thee').

However, considering the state of illiteracy in old Poland, Cześniak and Szcześniak (similarly pronounced in rapid speech) could have been easily mistaken and miscopied.,
clew  - | 2
5 May 2012   #2651
another search-Rulko(rus.рулько).how can i write this in polish?is it possible that rulko is a polish last name?
OP Polonius3  980 | 12275
5 May 2012   #2652
RULKO: used by five dozen people in Poland, the most in the Olsztyn area. Meaning and origin obscure (to me at least).
boletus  30 | 1356
6 May 2012   #2653
RULKO: used by five dozen people in Poland, the most in the Olsztyn area.

And Mragowo, Elbląg, Braniewo, etc. But there are about 469 occurrences of RULKA in Poland, in a big Varmian-Masurian circle.

Meaning and origin obscure (to me at least)

The RULKO name sounds Ukrainian, but this may mean nothing. There are certainly quite a lot of RULKO names in Ukraine. I do not know how to efficiently search their databases, so I do not know how many, exactly. But Rulko surnames are also found in Czech Republic.

I am going to risk the guess that RULKO derives from Sorbian given name Rulko, later adopted to German given names from Saxony (Upper Lusatia) and Branderburgia (Lower Lusatia). My evidence is a bit shaky, but here you go:

On 7 February 1278 Rudolf (Rulko) von Biberstein (1241-1304), bought from King Ottokar II of Bohemia, the Crown Estate Friedland in northern Bohemia for 800 silver marks as "free fief".

Another document calls him by first names Rulko, Bolko or Rudolf.

He is also called Rudolf/Rulko von Bieberstein, aka Rulik or Rulek in Czech.

The Bieberstein family had some connections with Silesia. For example, his son Johann(1290-1306) was a field commander for Henryk III Głogowczyk, a duke of Silesia, Głogów, Żagań and Greater Poland.

Other historical Rulko names from Saxony are: Rulko von Belgern (a town in Saxony), Amtsvoigt (Office voight), 1266-1316; Rulko von Bischofswerde (Polish: Rulko z Biskupicy). Deeds of Grüssau Abbey mention Rulko Curdebug (1317).

Grüssau Abbey also known as Krzeszów Abbey (German: Abtei Grüssau; Polish: Klasztor w Krzeszowie) refers to a historical Cistercian monastery in Krzeszów (German: Grüssau) in Lower Silesia

One theory on the origins of the family Gersdorf in Silesia, mentions three brothers Cristan, Rulko and Jencz (1301). Rulko owned Kemnitz in Saxony (from Sorbian "kamen", a stone, Kamjenica), and was later known as Rulko von Kemnitz. He is a founder of the elder line of Kemnitz. By the way, the name Kemnitz has evolved as follows: 1143: Kameniz, 1218: Camnizensis Conventus, 1254: Kemeniz, 1264: Kemniz, 1293: Kemnicz, 1308: Kempniz, 1378: Kemnicz, 1389: Kempnicz, 1492: Kembnicz, DDR times: Karl-Marx-Stadt, now: Chemnitz.

Another document mentions Kleinschweidnitz, South of Löbau (Upper Sorbian: Lubij), Saxony, Germany, in the traditional region of Upper Lusatia. It starts with: Katharina, the widow of Cristans I (1307) of Krekewicz, and their sons Johann, Rulko and Jencz ….

But - in regards to origin of the surname RULKO - all of the above is just pure speculation.. :-)
archiwum  12 | 122
6 May 2012   #2654
[Moved from]: Surnames: Borders & Causin

Hello,

1. Can anybody tell me if the surnames Borders&Causin are Jewish?

2. Can anybody tell me if the forenames Francis&Maria are Jewish?

I know these names are not polish, or even east European,
but I'd like to know.

My 2nd Great Grandmother's Francis Helena Borders/Maria Causin?

Rob
OP Polonius3  980 | 12275
6 May 2012   #2655
The surnames are not specifically Jewish, but any name can be used by Jews from Smith to Czarnecki to Schneider and Lomonosov.
Francis is the English version of the Latin name Franciscus which originally referred to the Franks, a Germanic tribe.
Maria is the European (Italian, Polish, Spanish, German, etc.) version of the Hebrew name Miriam.
oldeastsider
7 May 2012   #2656
I have treced our family name to KOKOTKIEWICZ, My G-G Grandfather was married in Gora, Inowroclaw in 1874, when they came to the U.S.A. the name was changed, I have been unable to find any definitions or meanings for KOKO/KOKOT or Kiewicz. Any help out there?
OP Polonius3  980 | 12275
7 May 2012   #2657
KOKOTKIEWICZ: root-word kokot (cock), diminutive form: kokotek. Someone might have been nicknamed kokotek because he was cocky and always ready for a scrap or maybe a skirt-chaser. But he coiuld have also acquired that tag for purely toponymic reasons like hailing from some such locality as Kokot ro Kokotek. In either case, when the fathered a son, the offspring would have been given a typical patronymic ending -wicz, hence Kokotkiewicz.
clew  - | 2
7 May 2012   #2658
boletus
thanx for info.
that's a point that it's more people in poland with last name Rulko than in ukraine or immigrated from there.some of them are ukrainian,some russian and some polish.
SimonaRomuzga
8 May 2012   #2659
Anyone know the possible origin of the last name Romuzga? I am Polish, but I cannot find this name's connection to anything. I am thinking maybe related to Rome or the Roma in some way?

Dziękuję!
OP Polonius3  980 | 12275
8 May 2012   #2660
ROMUZGA: possibly derived from romot (noise, racket) to denote a noisy individual who bumps, bangs and clangs as he goes. The prefixes -ajda - ocha and -uzga are often used in word formation to deride or ridicule. There is also a village called Romoty (Noiseville) as a possible toponmyic tag. I emphasise the word 'possible', because there may be an entirely different source -- perhaps a derisive form of the first name Roman.

As opposed to just Jan (John) Janocha would mean something like big, old nasty John, so maybe Romuzga would be the equiavlent for Roman. Someone might have also said Romocha or Romajda to get the derisive and slighting flavour across.
oldeastsider
9 May 2012   #2661
Thank you for that information. I only discovered our true (Polish) roots two years ago. I've been trying to gather more information ever since. This will help.

oldeastsider
boletus  30 | 1356
10 May 2012   #2662
The prefixes -ajda - ocha and -uzga are often used in word formation to deride or ridicule.

Well, if it was one of these suffices: -ocha, -ucha (which you did not mention) or -och, -ocha, etc. I would agree with your explanation. But the suffix -UZGA just does not fit any word forming pattern in Polish language. This is a strange, foreign pattern.

I have a little risky theory about the origin of this surname, but before I am going to present it, here are the tools, so you can check it by yourself:

Grzegorz Jagodziński, in his "Gramatyka języka polskiego" (A grammar of the Polish language), [grzegorj.w.interia.pl/gram/] (English: [grzegorj.w.interia.pl/gram/en/gram00.html), writes about słowotwórstwo (word formation) here: [grzegorj.w.interia.pl/gram/i_slowotw01.html].

He presents an extensive list of suffixes (przyrostki) - ranging from -acja to -źń . Among them, there is -och and -ocha, but there is neither -ajda nor -uzga. However, knowing that -ajda actually exists in Polish, and considering that these two suffixes may belong to some dialectical forms, I double checked them via "Slownik Gier Słownych Scrabble i Literaki", [scrabble.krzyzowki.info/] .

The conclusion is that the -uzga words are these::
-uzga : only derivatives of the infinitives below, such as bl-uzga, obl-uzga
-uzgać : bluzgać, nabluzgać, obluzgać, zabluzgać, zbluzgać,
In other words, there is not a single noun in Polish language, which is formed with the -uzga suffix. The remaining words, are derivatives of the infinitives, all deriving from the verb "bluzgać". Which in turn derives from "bluzg" - but that's another story.

To be on the safe side, I checked the -zga pattern as well. There are only eight nouns obeying this pattern - too few to be accepted as a generic word forming pattern in Polish language:

-zga : bezmó-zga, drza-zga, mia-zga, mo-zga, niebezmó-zga, pier-zga (this is actually wrong case), pramia-zga, ró-zga (+ -zga derivatives of the infinitives below)
-zgać : bluzgać, bryzgać, dzierzgać, nabluzgać, obluzgać, obryzgać, pobryzgać, poślizgać, poumizgać, pozadzierzgać, przedzierzgać, prześlizgać, rozbryzgać, rozwierzgać, ślizgać, umizgać, wierzgać, wślizgać, wyślizgać, zabluzgać, zabryzgać, zadzierzgać, zbluzgać, zbryzgać,

My conclusion is: the surname ROMUZGA is not of Polish origin. So what kind of surname is it? See the next episode for the answer. :-)
OP Polonius3  980 | 12275
10 May 2012   #2663
I have never conducted an in-depth study the way Jagodziński has, but was guided more by a certain intuitive "Sprachgefühl" rather than any cut-and-dried linguistic norms. I purposely used the word 'possible', so as not to suggest that this was the one true explanation. On the other hand, I believe that the once highly dialectal, regional and local natuire of Polish often defied atttemtps to force it into any

analytical framework. The word and name creators were not grammarians but usually simple, illiterate peasants who blurted out whatevr they found clever or catchy without regard to word-formation norms, grammar, spelling or whatever. It others found it appropriate it often caught on and stuck. But then again neither can the foreign option you mentioned be ruled out. It migth have even originated as a pejorative term for Romanian similar to Niemiaszek, Kacap, Mosiek, etc., although Rumuzga would probably have been more plausible.
boletus  30 | 1356
10 May 2012   #2664
I believe that the once highly dialectal, regional and local natuire of Polish often defied atttemtps to force it into any
analytical framework.

Do not take me wrong: I am not criticizing you, and yes - I noticed the guard "possible" you used in your original post on the subject. :-) I think you have mixed -uzga with -ucha; those are two different beasts. I say it again: -UZGA does not look like a Polish pattern, because such words PRACTICALLY do not exist, -UCHA pattern definitely is Polish, because it is all around us in abundance.

I mentioned Jagodziński as a curiosity, since I applaud his hard good work, all for free. Yet he missed the -ajda suffix.

But I actually invite you to try the other link - it is not a scientific tool, but a very practical online tool for gamers. And it is very easy to use; you should have fun comparing things with wildcards like these:

%ucha ==> tons of words
%uzga ==> very few, all conjugated verbs (third personal singular), no nouns - as I previously mentioned
R%uzga ==> zero words, as might be expected.
OP Polonius3  980 | 12275
10 May 2012   #2665
He also missed -yga and probably a few more. What then might a Pole of yesteryear say to pejoratively refer to a Romanian: Rumidło, Rumunidło, Rumunisko, Rumocha, Rumunocha, Rumucha, Rumunucha and somewhere along the line Romuzga might have slipped out. There is a whole highly variable grey area of endearing nicknames, pet names for people and things, baby talk, sweet nothings, in-jokes, etc. often confined not even to one village or a single family, but at times to a single branch of the same family. And within that context I maintain that Romuzga or Rumuzga cannot be entirely ruled out whether or not any linguist or statistician has bothered to codify them.

Possible toponymic sources for Romuzga migth include Romualdów in today’s truncated Poland and Romuti in Belarusuian-occupied eastern Poland. Maybe even Ромушково in Putinland.
banderson
12 May 2012   #2666
Merged: I'm looking for the meaning of surname, Pachla. Can you help?

I'm looking for the meaning of surname, Pachla. Can you help?

Can anyone tell me the meaning of the Polish Surname, Pachla?
OP Polonius3  980 | 12275
12 May 2012   #2667
PACHLA: This is one of those surnames traceable to a variety of different sources including:. 1. First names Paweł or Pakosław/Pachosław; 2. The Old Polish verb pachać: to perform back-breaking work, plough the soil or commit (pachać grzechy = to commit sins); 3. Toponymic sources Pach, Pachów or similar.
Soldier  1 | 1
13 May 2012   #2668
Merged: The name: Barasinski

Hey!

Does my name Barasinski mean anything?

Can anyone tell me about the Barasinski name, meaning, origin, is it a common name in Poland?
boletus  30 | 1356
14 May 2012   #2669
Does my name Barasinski mean anything?

Surname variants: Baras, Barasiewicz, Barasiński, Baraś, Barasz, Baraszkiewicz, Baraszko, Baraszyc.

From noun BARAŻ, phonetic variants: BARAZ, BARASZ, BARAŚ. Plural BARASZE.
1. BARAŚ (BARANEK): a diminutive form of "ram", Polish BARAN
2. BARASZE (plural): A Cerastes genus of small, venomous vipers. Common names: horned vipers, North African desert vipers, cerastes vipers.
Found in the deserts and semi-deserts of northern North Africa eastward through Arabia and Iran.

From: Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), Polish Language Institute, Polish Language Dictionary -17th to middle 18th century,

sxvii.pl/index.php?strona=haslo&id_hasla=960&forma=BARA%C5%9A#960

In Poland there are 137 people of Barasiński surname.
Most of them are in:
Bełchatów (28)
City of £ódź (10)
Wieluń County (8)
City of Wrocław (7)
Lębork County (7)
Pabianice County (7)
£ask County (7)
Częstochowa County (6)
City of Piotrków Trybunalski (6)
Warszawa County (6)
OP Polonius3  980 | 12275
14 May 2012   #2670
BARASIŃSKI: Also possibly a toponymic tag from Бараші (Baraszy), now in Ukrainian-occupied Eastern Poland.

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