I'm just speculating. My family comes from Wrocław, so it's probable that despise my surname being Polish (and my family) my surname and family is of German origin (Bernat is of German origin). All of the male family members on my paternal side have first names of German origin. Me being the exception.
Over the centuries Wrocław was under Polish, Bohemian, Prussian and Austrian rule and now is Polish once again. In such a melting pot/salad bowl most anything was possible.
Nowak is the most popular Polish name (over 200,000 users), but there are more thna 32,000 Nowaks in Germany. And their most common first names in Germany are: Peter Michael Josef Günter Manfred Andreas Wolfgang Werner Norbert and Heinz. Is Nowak a German name? No! Are the people listed above German? Yes!
Bureaucrats can work wonders with theri paperwork. Poles in the USSR were once rebadged as Soviet citizens and if they refused were sent to slave labour camps in Siberia. Nazi officials even made up non-existent nationaltieis like Goralenvolk, claiming Polands' highlanders had ancient Germanic roots. Like surnames, such officialise and fairy tales have absolutely no bearing on one's genetic ethnicity.
At best we can say some Frenchman has an Italian-sounding surname or a Pole has a German one. BTW there are numerous Poles with German names such as Schulz, Schultz or (spelt the Polish way) Szulc. Most loudly proclaim to be Polish.
Martinek is the diminutive pet form of the Slovak first name Martin. In Polish it is Marcinek. Marciniak is a Polish patronymic meaning "Martin's son".
Good for you! I've always said names and ethnicity can be totally different things. Hungarian is a popular connection in Polish tradition: Węgier, Polak dwa bratanki i do szabli i do szlanki! (My translation: Hungarian and Pole are cousins alike, when they drink and when they fight!)
Yep. I knew that there was going to be some sort of foreign connection with my family, Bernat is also a Hungarian first name, like you said. Foreign Root, Polish Suffix.
Jon, HOW AM I ARMENIAN? OR HOW IS MY SURNAME ARMENIAN?
All I have to say, on the basis of extensive research, an appraisal of the whole issue, insight and intuition is very simple: edited - only English please
He thinks I'm Armenian because there was a family living in Lviv of Armenian descent. The guy's bonkers, to be fair. He said that his family is from Northern China but he's White British. Lol
STECKI: one of many surnames derived from the first name Stefan. Śtecki might be a dialectal, peasant pronunciation. Coats of arms accompany the Stecki surname. For more info please contact: polonius3@gazeta.pl
Merged: Looking for meaning of my familial surnames
Cześć, I am looking to find any information that I can about the surnames Majkut (apparently from the phrase "left-handed"?) or Skaziak/Skajak. My ancestors came from Ostrów and a village outside of Krakow. I would be tremendously grateful for any insight!
Kuciński appears to be an adejctival derivative friom the town of Kutno. Emilia nad Amelia, although they sound similar, are two etymogogically different first names. Emilia comes from Latin, Amelia from the Germanic tongue.
I am trying to find information on my grandfather, Leon Gornicki, born in Plock 27 September 1892 to Antoni Gornicki and Franciszka Kaminski. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who recognizes these names. Thank you
Merged: Swierczweski surname
I am trying to find information on my grandmothers, Mary Swierczewski, family. Her mother, father and brother immigrated to USA in 1894 from Bremen Germany to New York, USA. Their names were Julian Swiercsewski, Isabelle Swierczewski and Ignacy Swierczweski. Ignacy was born in Lomza Poland about 1889 or 1890. Thank you for any information you may have.