mnaparsteck - | 1 5 Oct 2010 #1,261I was wondering if anyone knew the history of the last name Naparsteck? I have also seen it spelled "Naparstek", however my name has the C in it as well. I knowthat it means "thimble" in Polish. So I don't know if that means possibly my ancestor's were tailors, or dressmakers, etc? Or from what I've read in here, maybe it was a peasant name because it's a household object?Any idea's would be greatly appreciated, I've been searching for a long time on any history and haven't been able to find any!
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367 5 Oct 2010 #1,262Robowski & Naparstek:ROBOWSKI: root-word probably Rob – along with Robuś and Rocio – a hypocoristic (endearing) form of Robert; Robowski would have functioned as a patronymic nicknameNAPARSTEK: thimble (a word borrowed from the Czechs where prst is the word for finger); Naparsteck would be a German or English adaptation.WRONA: crow - characteristic-based or topo nickITELMACH: obscure, uncertain; looks German or Yiddish but no-one using it in Poland at present (nor in Germany);BOŻY/BOŻA: divine; probably topo nick from Boża, Boże, Boży Dar, etc.SZYMAŃSKI: topo nick from Szymany (Simmons, Simonville)CHMIELEWSKI: root-word chmiel (hops); topo nick from Chmielewo (Hopton);(Chomielewski looks like a misspelling or miscopying of Chmielewski)For more info on these and other surnames kindly contact me
sosnoski 6 Oct 2010 #1,263my last name is sosnoski does that mean it means pine or something of that sort?
paul7218 - | 1 6 Oct 2010 #1,266Does anyone know the meaning of the surname BYWALEC ? If it means anything at all?
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367 6 Oct 2010 #1,268SOSNOWSKI: topo nick = the bloke from Sosnowo (Pineville).
dannimarie693 7 Oct 2010 #1,269I have a question, my father now passed on and was the last one knowing the origional spelling of our last name. Wehn my ancesters came over they changed it. However from what I was told it ment "little shoe maker". Was hoping someone could help or lead me in the right direction to finding out. I believe it was somethign to the sort of kawjeszewski but im not sure thats just a guess from what i remember being told.Thanks so much!
grubas 12 | 1,384 7 Oct 2010 #1,270Seems to me his name was Szewczyk.One must have no self respect to change his/her name.
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367 7 Oct 2010 #1,271Little shoemaker would be Szewczyk. I can't imagine what the initial K-syllable might mean.
dannimarie693 7 Oct 2010 #1,272grubasIt wasnt my father that changed it it was my grand parents and im not sure why... Honestly kinda disappointed myself, now i have some french last name and im not even french im proud of my heritage and would be proud to display the name. I do know however that they were big into bootlegging and making their liquor when it was still out lawed dont know if that has ANYTHING to do with it but its a fact.
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367 7 Oct 2010 #1,273The closest I could find were Kawieciński, Kawięciński and Kawęczyński. All are alternative spellings of a topo nick from the village of Kawęczyn and have nothing to do with shoemakers.However, prohibition-era bootlegging as well as other illicit activities could have been a reason to change one's name to confuse law enforcers.Merged thread:Kwiatkowski, Krawczyk, ZającKWIATKOWSKI: topo nick from Kwiatków (Floralton)KRAWCZYk: occupational patronym from krawiec = tailor's sonZAJĄC: hare; either descriptive or topo nick from Zając, Zajączkowo, etc.TOCZYŃSKI: probably topo nick from Toczeń or Toczyska.STELMACH: German word for wainwright (wagon-builder)What is the French-sounding name your ancestors changed it to? Sometimes people translate the surname into another language and Kwiatkowski becomes Flowers, Bednarczyk > Cooper, Pastusiak > Shepherdson, etc.Others choose a sound-alike: Borkowski > Burke, Kalasiewicz > Calsavage, Kupczyk > Cooper, etc.
Tatarewicz 2 | 11 10 Oct 2010 #1,274In Edmonton, Canada there are 16 named "Kashuba" and two "Kaszuba" in the telephone directory. One is a mechanic who was popular on radio answering questions about mv problems.
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367 10 Oct 2010 #1,275KASZUBA: Kashuba is a phonetic respelling of Kaszuba. If left intact, you'd have Anglos going about calling you kaZOOba.Kaszuba is a member of the Kashubian ethnic subgroup akin to the ancient Pomeranians.PULCZYŃSKI: Pulchinski is a phonetic respelling of Pulczyński, used to prevent Anglos calling your ancestor "pull-ZIN-ski". It probably originated as a topo nick from Pulczynów.PULCIŃSKI: Extremely rare variant spelling of Pułczyński (see above).K£OPOTEK: troublesome fellow or topo nick from KłopotyBOJANKOWSKI: topo nick from Bojanów or similar.TOMAKA: one of many surnames derived from Tomasz (Thomas)WOROSZ/WOROS: probably from Ukrainian-influenced dialectic verb woroszyć (to obliterate, destroy)ITELMACH(?): Probably Stelmach (wainwright), the American way of handwriting the capital letter 'I' is a bit strange, so someone may have mistakenly written it in when recopying Stelmach.FELCKOWSKI: Doers not exist currently in Poland, but there is one person named Pelckowski, a likely variant form that probably originated as a topo nick from Pelczyce, Pelczyska, Pelczyn, etc.For more information on the above and other Polish surnames please contact me
bigleo 11 Oct 2010 #1,276Wow, what a great thread.My last name is Zarachowicz. Any idea what that could mean? I know my great-grandfather got to the US in the early 1900's but we have no idea what region he came from.Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367 11 Oct 2010 #1,277ZARACHOWICZ: patronymic nick from Zarach. Perhaps Zarach came from the verb zarachować (to miscalculate a bill, make a mistake with figures, short-change, etc).
Kesik 2 | 7 12 Oct 2010 #1,278Merged thread:Polish surnameI would like to know the meaning or origin of the surname Kesikowski, I have looked on the web and cannot find city or how rare is this name. please help!!!
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367 12 Oct 2010 #1,279KĘSIKOWSKI: root-word kęsik (small piece of food, morsel, bite, titbit). Since -owski ending names usually originated as topo nicks, we should look for a place called Kęsikowo or Kęsików. Wielkopolska appears be this name's main stronghold.Lewicki: topo nick from Lewice (Lionsonville).
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367 13 Oct 2010 #1,281KUKU£A: cuckoo; possibly topo nick from places like Kukały or Kuklin.
rackiewicz 13 Oct 2010 #1,282This is fascinating. I have a Polish heritage but have very little knowledge of my family background apart from them once owning a property in what was eastern Poland (not sure exactly where, now part of Belarus or maybe Lithuania or somewhere around there).My fathers surname is Rackiewicz, and my mother was Siedleski (not sure of spelling). Would love to know more about them.
Doug Holod - | 1 13 Oct 2010 #1,284[Moved from]: Search for whether Holod is a Polish surnameMy grandparents came to the United States in 1906. They were married in Poland. My grandmother was from near Krakow. My grandfather (whose last name was "Holod") was from some unknown location. He spoke Polish. Is the name common or typical for a Polish surname?Thanks
zetigrek 13 Oct 2010 #1,285Search for whether Holod is a Polish surnameHave no idea but it should be spelled Hołod.According to this site: there is only 315 people with that surname, so it's rare.
Ksysia 25 | 430 13 Oct 2010 #1,286Hołod is not a Polish word, it's Ukrainian for Hunger.Poles witht his last name, can be found for example here: nekrologi-baza.pl/nazw/str_h6.html
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367 14 Oct 2010 #1,287ŻABICKI RACKIEWICZ SIEDLEWSKIŻABICKI: root word żaba (frog); topo nick from Żabice (Frogsonville)RACKIEWICZ: patronymic nick from Racek, Racuś and suchlike pet forms of Racisław or Racibór.SIEDLEWSKI: topo nick from Siedlew or Siedlewo; Siedleski would be an attempt in English-speaking countries to retain the proper pronunciation; leaving to 'w' intact would produce a pronunciation similar to seed-LOOSE-key.For more info on the above and other Polish surnames including their coats of arms please contact meGA£ĘZA: root-word gałąź (branch); topo nick from Gałęzów, Gałęzewo, &c.DYBKA:root-word dyba (pillory) or dybać (to lie in wait); topo nick from Dybki or DybkówZYMA: adaptation of German name Ziemann or from zeman (ziemianin) Czech for squireCHODORÓW: patronymic nick from Chodor, variant of Teodor, Todor, Fiodor (Teodore)WOJKROW: no record (check spelling)KREMERÓWKA: no record (check spelling)FOR MORE SURNAME INFO PLEASE CONTACT meKREMER: Whilst no-one at present is using the Kremerówka surname in Poland, Kremer does exist and is used by several hundred Poles. It comes from the German word Krämer, someone who owns as Krambude (market stall) or Kramladen (small shop). Perhaps Kremerówka was slang for Kremer's unmarried daughter. By rights it should have been Kremerówna, but with names one never knows.KUCZAJ: possibly from old verb kuczyć (pester, annoy, tease) or topo nick from Kucze, Kuczyn, etc.WALICKI: from first name Walerian or Walenty or topo nick from Валіца (Walica) in Ukraine.CZUCHRA: from verb czuchrać/czochrać (to tousle hair or flax)ZAJDEL: Polish respelling of German Seidel (mug, stein)TEMPOLSKI(?): no Tempolski or Tępolski in today's Poland; 1 person named TympolskiPELC: from German Pelz (pelt, skin of fur-bearing animal)HABRAT: possibly from chaber/haber (cornflower, bluebottle)For more info on the above and other Polish surnames please contact meKUCZAJ: possibly from old verb kuczyć (pester, annoy, tease) or topo nick from Kucze, Kuczyn, etc.
boroczkym 18 Oct 2010 #1,289what is the mean and origin of the last name boroczky, boróczky or boróczki
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367 18 Oct 2010 #1,290ZAB£OCKI: topo nick from Zabłocie (overbog, opposite side of the swap)BOROCZKI ET AL: No such names in Polish; check spelling; possibly Borucz (from first name Borzyław) or Borucki - topo nick from Borucin.