The names of different species of livestock and wildlife often functioned as nicknames given to commoners, esp. peasants. They were usually associated with those creatures, but in some cases may have been though to resemble them in some way. In time, they evolved into normal surnames passed down from father to son. Some typical examples:
[plk123] As surnames the non-diminutive Sikora is more common, whilst with mysz it is the diminutive Myszka that is more typical. Not my fault, that's just the way the language devleoped, so don't kill the messenger.
Never went fishing in Polnd? If you had,you'd have dug up robaki. Bąk can be a top (spinning toy), a horsefly, bumblebee (aka trzmiel), a small tot and a fart. I only gave one equivalent per name. Koza also means a gaol and a snot. And kur may be archaic, but names tend to be archaic because most of them evolved centuries ago.
The topic was Polish srunames, not zoology or word definitions. Szczuka is the older (and current eastern) form but, as surnames go, there are more Szczukas in today's Poland than Szczupaks. Wiewióra 2,000 Wiewiórka 600; 15 people surnamed Mysz, 3,900 Myszka. Let's see what clever riposte Dupadomine comes up with thsi time?!
I know...typos!
there is a preview button as well as an edit button. you might like to try them.
Too lazy!
Merged: Tool-derived Polish last names
Tools, utensils and common household objects were often used as nicknames for peasants and other commoners. Eventually they evolved into normal last names. These include:
