The "-owski" ending usually inidcates s surname's toponymic (place-name) orign. So it would not refer ot ethnicity put to one's home locality. There are places in Poland called Cygany, Cyganówka and Cygańskie (Gypsyville, Gypsytown, Gypsyburg, etc.) which could have generated your nickname-turned-surname. So Józio Cyganowski would be the equivalent of Joe from Gypystown. In PA there's a city called Germantown, but not only those of German extraction live there although the original founders centuries ago probably were.
Note: For more information on this please contact me.
I am apart of the Storoszczuk family and currently seeking my roots anybody with information please post it here because I will check frequently thank you (:
STOROSZCZUK: Probably a patronymic nickname from Storosz, which probably derived from the Old Polish verb storzyć się (to primp, be a dandy, attach importance to dress). The name has been Ruthenianised as indicated both by the inserted "o" and the Ruthenian patronymic suffix -czuk. The purely Polish version would have been Stroszczyk or Stroszczak.
For more info on this pelase contact: research60@gmail
Merged: Kukiz from kuku
KUKIZ: It looks as though we'll be hearing this name quite often in the weeks and months ahead. It is a bit unusual but apparently derives from kuku, the sound made by the kukułka (cuckoo). It is shared by some 50 people in Poland mainly in Śląsk (Silesia). Alternative spellings are Kukiś, Kukisz and Kukiż,
WYBOREK: probably from wybór (choice, selection, recruitment); possibly a clipped form of wymborek (bucket). Considering widepsread illiteracy, letters got dropped or added by usually semi-literate priests ad village scribes.during successive recopying
Of course. Wybór is the noun form, wybierać/wybrać is the verb. There are also adjectival forms wyborny, wyborczy and wybiórczy, each meaning something compeltely different. Wyborny means superb, excellent, top shelf, wyborcza has to do with elections and wybiórczy means selective, implying that some thigns were left out. For instance a newspaper that highlights only the things that comform to its editorial policy.
Getting back to the nickname-turned-surname, it migth have even been of toponmyic (place-name) origin and initially used to identify a villager from Wyborów (Choiceton, Pickbury).
Thank you so much. One other question. I thought Wybieranie is the verbal noun for Wybierać, or that is what it says online. Is it safe to say that Wybieranie and Wybór are the same? Again, thanks.
Yes, that is a verbal noun or gerund. Wybór and wybieranie derive form the same source but are not identical. Wybieranie would be more like the process of selecting, something drawn out in time, whilst wybór would be a one-off thing. But you would be understood if you used wybieranie instead of wybór. I forgot another adjective -- wyborowy, similar to wyborny. It is the name of Poland's best-known vodka, Wódka Wyborowa (Choice Vodka).
RYKIEL: root-word ryk (roar); a nickname for someone who spoke in a powerful, perhaps overpowering 'voice; the -el suffix in Polish usually has a pejorative ring to it, eg skurwiel, dubiel, śmierdziel.
ROBAK: Polish for worm, maggot, insect; possibly it orginated as a toponymic nick for na inhatbiant of Robaczyn or Robaczew (Wormville, Bugton).
NOTE: There were blue-bloods amongst the Robaks. For info on the coat of arms and other matters please PM me.
Hello, hopefully someone can provide clues on few surnames in my family tree several generations back. I'm at a roadblock because of limited historical records and no Polish language skills.
Tironiow Gornia (Maybe a Polish form of a name?) Przybyszlaka (I know Przybysz, but I can't find references for laka other than a town.)
Thank you!
Merged: Possible Polish Surnames?
Sorry for the repeat, but I wasn't sure if I posted my first attempt properly.
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Konwinski Yesterday, 23:48 #3,664
Hello, hopefully someone can provide clues on few surnames in my family tree several generations back. I'm at a roadblock because of limited historical records and no Polish language skills.
Tironiow Gornia (Maybe a Polish form of a name?) Przybyszlaka (I know Przybysz, but I can't find references for laka other than a town.)
KONWIŃSKI: root-word konew (watering-can); possible occupational tag for a tinsmith producing such veessels or a toponymic nick for an inhabitant of the village of Konewka.
GÓRNIA: root-word góra (hill. mountain); rare surname used by only a dozen peole in Poland.
PRZYBYSZLAKA: the przybysz component means new arrival, newcomer but the rest? Maybe it got misspelt. Przybyszlak couldv'e hypothetically been a patronymic tag for the son of Przybysz, but the daughter would have been Przybyszlaczka, not Przybyszlaka.
Indeed, that is a possibility. So many things got misspelt or otherwise distorted over generatzions of manual recopying by often semi-literate village scribes and parish priests asy well as clerks of the partitioning powers, not to mention Ellis Island officials.
Thank you! Here's the confusing part with Prbyzyszlaka...the husband is Przybysz, the wife is Przybyszlaka. Is Tironiow possibly just misspelled? I haven't found anything similar.
Actually couldn't find any name in Poland starting with Tiro-. it looks Russian. Przybysz-Laka or Przybysz-£ąka (ląka is Polish for meadow) are a faint possibility, but normally the maiden name comes first. £ąka-Przybysz or Laka-Przybysz.
BERNAT anfd BIERNAT are Polish surnames derived from the first name Bernard. Incidentally, Bernat z Lublina in 1513 wrote the first book printed in the Polish langaage, a prayer book titled Raj duszny (Paradise of the soul).
Hi my mothers side of the family is from Poland and I am having issues finding the meaning behind my grandmothers maiden name, Kordeczka. my grandfather was a Bednaz which I have found, comes from the polish word for a cooper or barrel maker. His mother was a Slosek which I believe is derivative of a person from Silesia and may have czech origins. This is all I have so far and I would love your input.
SĘP: This is the Polish word for vulture, a large scavenging bird. The Semp spelling could have occurred in Poladnndue to illiteracy. Abroad, it would be a logical respelling by someone who didn't want to go through life being called Herr, Mr, Monsieur or Señor Sepp.
RZEPIJEWSKI: root-word rzepa (turnip); the -ewski ending usually indicates a name of toponmyic (place-name-derived) origin. This one would be traceable to a locality called Rzepijew or Rzepijewo (Turnipville). Any Polish surname can be and has been used by Jews, but that doesn't make the name itself Jewish.
Przybyszlaka.
It should be Przybyszowa. But in the naming field there are many exceptions, unique cases, local or even family-specific situations. As a non-surname example to illistrate the point, Imagine a kid named William Olsen. His parents call him Billy, one aunt always refers to him as "little Willy", other relatives and family friends have dubbed him butch, skippy, scooter, whitey or what have you.ANd most neighbours call him "the Olsen boy".
