DĄBROWSKI/DOMBROWSKI: topographic for someone living in or near an oak wood or toponymic from localiteise named Dąbrów, Dąbrowa or Dąbrowo (Oakville)
ROSZKOWSKI: toponymic from Roszków or Roszkowo; root-word Roszek, Roszko - pet form of first name Roch.
TOBO£A: from Old Polish word toboła (travel bag); or pet form of first name Tobiasz. Incidentally, the correct spelling of the first name is £ukasz (Luke, Lucas).
One of the more prolific surname-forming areas has been the patronymic nickname (derived from one's father's first name). Some Polish examples: ADAMCZYK (Adamsom) BANASIEWICZ: from peasant form of Benedykt - Banaś (Benson without the Hedges) GABRYSIAK: from Gabryś, pet form of Gabriel (Gabrielson) and its Ruthenian version: HAWRYLUK: means the same as Gabrysiak JANOWICZ: from Jan (Johnson) JÓ-WIAK: from peasant form of Józef - Józwa (Josephson) PIETRZYK: from Pieter, peasant form of Piotr (Peterson)
For more info on the above and other Polish surnames please contact me
POSTSCRIPT: Patronymic nicknames-turned-surnames exist in other nations as well: Dipetro (IT), Depierre (F), Petersohn (D), Petersen (DK), Пётрович (RU), Perez (ES) and many Polish variants: Piotrowiak, Piotrak, Pioterek, Piotrkiewicz, Piotrkowicz, Pietras, Pietrewicz, Pietrowicz, Pietrzak, Pietrasiewicz et al.
JAKUBOWSKI: topo nick from Jakubów or Jakubowo (Jamesburg, Jimton, Jakeville)
PIASKOWSKI: topo nick from Piasków or Piaskowo (Sandville, Sandbury); piasek = sand
SIWULKA: grey horse; siwy = grey; perhaps topo nick for someone from Siwiałka (Greyville)
SOCHA: a primitive wooden plough used by early agrarian Poles.
BOGIEL: Probably an adaptation of the German word Bügel (ring, hoop, stirrup and bagel).
PLATTA: probably from German Plätte (flat iron), which went into Polish as alata (tin plate or armour plate); possibly from German adjective platt (flat, level) - Polish płaski.
Indeed, we are one big Indo-Eurpean family. And the typo alata in the previous post should have read plata.
DOMAŃSKI: probably topo nick from Domaniew, Domaniów or Domanin
BABIACZ: from baba (woman, hag); variant of babiarz (womaniser)
PILIPCZUK: A variant spelling of Filipczuk which originated as a patronymic tag (the -czuk is a typcially Ukrainian patronymic indicator). Some 1,000 people in today's Poland sign themselves Pilipczuk. Variant forms include: Pilipczak, Pilipczyk, Filipczak, Filipczyk and Filipczuk. Eng, equivalet: Philipson.
hello and have a good day to all. first of all, i am not of polish background,actually british/american. i am however helping a friend with his polish heritage: the name has been changed many times. ships manifest/passenger lists: Mronszynski/Mrowszynski Josef/Andreas/Jan
changes: Mrofchinski/Morfenski {todays spelling} location Poland: Buchfelde, Znen-Znin-Cnen, town of Rosenau/Rosenan Kreise, Posen,Poznan Preussen rule before 1900
hope above info will help in meaning of the surname, Mronszynski,Mrowszynski [misspelled?] thank you.
MRÓWCZYŃSKI: This is the msot likely Polish spelling; root-word mrówka (ant); probably topo nick from Mrówczyno (Antville); surnamed pronounced: mroof-CHIN-ski.
Merged thread: Meaning and Orgins of Serwach/Serwus/Serwusz surname?
Greetings! I am doing some research on one of the surnames, in my family tree. On was polishroots.com and noticed the surname Serwach/Serwus/Serwusz is still used in Poland. Would anyone here know of the meaning,and orgins of the surname Sewach/Serwus/Serwusz? Thank You kindly for your assistence! Have a Great Day!
This is my history: I was born in argentina my surname is COMARNISKY This surname comes from my great grand parents the came to argentina escaping from the war in poland... when they got here they did not get ID so our goverment give them argentinians ID but the problem is that they speak diferent language so the couldn't understand eachothers and they spell it all wrong...
I would like to know if anyone can help me to spell it the right way and whats the meaning... So i can change my Name...
MAJDOSZ: could have originated with majda, one of the terms for a lefty (soutpaw); others include smajda, smańda, smaja and szmaja. Majdosz could have been a patronymic tag for the southpaw's son.
KALINOWSKI root-wrod kalina (guelder rose); topo nick from Kalinów or Kalinowo
KLECHA: pejorative term for priest (preacherman or some such)
My last name is Calemczuk. I have already found out that czuk means "son of." But I cannot find a thing about the beginning of the name, "Calem". Some family members believe it was originally spelled "Czalem" or "Tzalem"... sound familiar to anyone?
I am trying to find the meaning of my last name of Gruzwalski or possibly Gruzvalski, I know that it translates into Both Serbian and Yiddish but I cannot find any thing on the meaning.
Gruzvalski is impossible (no letter v in Polish). Gruzwalski is orthographically possible but nothing close exists in Polish that I could find. Please re-check spelling.
Hmm Gruzwalski is the only spelling I have even my great-grandfather immigration papers, from 1918, has it as Gruzwalski, but not sure if it was shorten once he reached the States. He immigrated from Russia but I am told my family came from the area north of Warsaw. I am also looking for meaning of Karasiewiecz.
