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THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME?


pgtx 29 | 3,146
24 Mar 2011 #1,681
I can't get much info off the internet?

maybe if you check out the links in this thread, it'll give you some more info...
PennBoy 76 | 2,432
24 Mar 2011 #1,682
My last is Hejnowski

might be a slight misspelling when ur ancestors came to America (immigration people did that often) maybe Hajnowski as in resident of Hajnówka a town in Poland. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hajn%C3%B3wka
JonnyM 11 | 2,615
24 Mar 2011 #1,683
Hajnowski

That's what I thought at first, though Hejnowski exists in PL too, so any change of spelling would have happened there.
Des Essientes 7 | 1,290
24 Mar 2011 #1,684
might be a slight misspelling when ur ancestors came to America (immigration people did that often)

Immigration people never touched my unpronouncable surname, unpronouncable for English speakers at least, because both pairs of my paternal great-grand-parents immigrated illegally into the USA via ships that docked in Baltimore, and you know what else? I'd sneak into another country too if it suited my fancy, because I don't give a crap about any goddamn laws that say what I can and cannot do. I am the Liberum Veto made flesh!
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367
24 Mar 2011 #1,685
HEJNOWSKI: As repeatedly noted on this forum, the -owski ending is nearly always toponymic. Hejnowski probably originated to identify an inhabitant of the Wielkopolska locality of Hejna. BTW there is a Hejna and Hejnov in the Czech Republic -- also ideal sources of this surname, although there it would be spelt Hejnovský.
mistero - | 2
24 Mar 2011 #1,686
Can you help me with two names?
Baracz and Turton. We've been told that Baracz could be Hungarian and that it has something to do with peaches. My grandparents spoke Polish and came over sometime around 1910-1915.

Thank you.
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367
24 Mar 2011 #1,687
BARACZ: probably from the archaic Polish verb barać (struggle, put up resistance, reject); the 'bar' part shares the same root as the Russian noun борба (struggle). It's a good Polish name. If it were Hungarian it would have to be spelt Baracs.

TURTOŃ: from the dialectal verb turtać (to dawdle, lag behind, be a slowcoach).
mistero - | 2
24 Mar 2011 #1,688
Thanks alot Polonius. I guess we can forget about those peaches.
valpomike 11 | 195
24 Mar 2011 #1,689
What does, Dabrowski mean, and where would they have come from?

Mike
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367
24 Mar 2011 #1,690
DĄBROWSKI: a topographic (for someone living in or near an oak wood) or toponymic (for an inhabitant of any of the numerous localities called Dąbrów, Dąbrowo or Dąbrowa) nickname-turned-surname; some 90,000 users in Poland. Mazowsze is the main stronghold but sizable bastions are found all over the country including Wielkopolska, £ódź region, Kujawy, Ślask, Podlasie and the recovered lands.

For more information please contact me
rrmmaur
24 Mar 2011 #1,691
My family name was Imyak (Imjak, Imiak, etc.). In the same way that people sometimes name their dog "Dog" and their cat "Cat", might my ancestors have taken a variation of the name "Name" (imię) when required to adopt a surname? Is this plausible, or might there be some other derivation?

Russ
sv619
24 Mar 2011 #1,692
wojcik i wana no if theres more letters! first names modena wojcik.ski would be sick!!!
ktm250xc
25 Mar 2011 #1,693
Dziedzic
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367
25 Mar 2011 #1,695
IMIAK/IMJAK: Your imię theory is interesting and cannot be ruled out, but more likely it came from the now archaic verb imać (to grab, hold - that is where imadło/vise derives from); another possibility is the Old Polish first name Imisław.

DZIEDZIC: root-word dziedzic = heir or squire; probably topo nick from Dziedzice (Squireville).

WÓJCIK: patronymic tag from wójt (village mayor); an extended version could have been Wójcicki or Wójcikowski.

For more in formation and genealogical contacts please e-mail me
antonak1 - | 1
26 Mar 2011 #1,696
Merged thread:
Looking for info on Antonak last name

I have always been curious about my family's last name, and I was hoping someone on here could help me with aquiring more knowledge. Thanks!
polishdecedant
27 Mar 2011 #1,697
gilanoski or gilanowski dad said no w but the us goverment says it does i wonder if there are any family members still in poland
bagpipes2222
27 Mar 2011 #1,698
Merged thread:
origin of name szpin

Do you know the origin of the name Szpin?
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367
27 Mar 2011 #1,699
ANTONAK: patronymic nick from Antoni or Anton

GILANOWSKI???: from the Gilanians (Gilanowie), a 2-million-strogn ethnic group related to the Persians and fishing for sturgeon in the Caspian Sea(????)

SZPIN: from verb spinać (to fasten together) or noun spina (Old Polish for clasp or buckle); or possibly from German Spinne (spider).

For more information and genealogical contacts please e-mail me
sosmn6 - | 1
28 Mar 2011 #1,700
Hello,
I am trying to research my late father's ancestors. He (Piotr Osman) was born in Tychy in 1922. I have obtained his birth certificate but although it tells me his parents names, it doesn't give me an address in tychy or the nationality of his parents. I have via my local priest, discovered that the only way of finding this information is by using a historian in Poland. Can you give me any information on how to find one?

Kind Regards
Simon Osman
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367
28 Mar 2011 #1,701
OSMAN: Osman is Polish for Ottoman; the German equivalent is Osmane or Ottomane. Tychy was an area udner strong German influence for centuries. But the original bearers of the name in whatever spelling were probably Turkish or in some way associated with or connected to the Ottoman empire.
eddiedzi
29 Mar 2011 #1,702
I've seen the information regarding the Bober family name above, and now I'm wondering if there is any correlation between that name and the family name Pyś.

I recently hired a genealogist in Poland to research my great-great-grandmother's family. He let me know that she was born Katarzyna Pyś and that she married Franciszek Turoń, but I just found a record in the States that lists her as Katarzyna Bober and marrying Franciszek Turoń.

Could the names Pyś and Bober be related in any way?
teresa55 - | 46
29 Mar 2011 #1,703
Thera are 327 people in Polan with name Szałapski, in Warsaw only 14.
justcurious
29 Mar 2011 #1,704
What does the last name Machalinski mean?
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367
29 Mar 2011 #1,705
BOBER: peasant dialectal form of bób (broad bean); possibly adaptation of Russian word for beaver бобёр (bobior).

TUROŃ: aurochs (extinct wild bovine); of someone strong as an ox or topo nick from Turowiec, Turowo and similar.

PYŚ: from pysio, endearing form of the animal or human pejorative pysk (mouth as in 'stul pysk' - shut your yap).

MACHALIŃSKI: possibly from verb machać (to wave, gesticulate); also humorous elaboration of names in Ma- (Małomir, Maciej, Marcin).

For more information and genealogical leads on these and other surnames please contact me

LUTOWSKI: root-word luty (Old Polish for harsh, severe, bleak, hence it's the Polish name of the month of February); maybe the originator was born or converted (to Catholicism) in that month; or topo nick from Lutowo (Februaryville)

WOJNOWSKI: root-word wojna (war); topo nick from Wojnowo (Warville)

SOBOLAK: patronymic tag for son of Soból (sable)

WALSKI: patronymic nick for the son of Walenty or Walerian

For more info and genealogical leads for these and other surnames please contact me
kkcolt4
30 Mar 2011 #1,706
are you still in business? Is the Kiecolt Polish? I have been told it probably is, I can never find any history about the name.

Is the name Kiecolt Polish? I have been told it probably is but I cant ever find any information about it.
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367
30 Mar 2011 #1,707
KIECO£T: names such as Kiecołt, Kiecuń, Kiecur, Kieczot and similar are traceable to several sources: 1) kiec - corncrake (a meadow brid); 2) kieca (gown, frock, garment), 3) pet form of the old first name Kilian (beleived by some to have Celtic roots).
mpiekarz - | 1
30 Mar 2011 #1,708
Merged thread:
Name requests

If anyone has a few moments, just wondering about my family names:

Piekarz: OK, that one's easy. Family from Lublin c. 1912.

Paściak: I've never gotten a good clue about this one

Zwierzyński: I probably should know this one, but don't.

Dombkiewicz: I'd assume the original spellling was Dąbkiewicz (something to do with an oak), but unsure.
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367
30 Mar 2011 #1,709
PIEKARZ: occupational nick (baker)

PAŚCIAK: possibly linked to Old Polish term past (pâté, dough, pasta) or pastka (archaic for mouse-trap)

ZWIERZYŃSKI; root-word zwierzyna (wildlife); probably topo nick from Zwierzyn

DĄBKIEWICZ: patronymic tag for the son of Dąbek; the father may have been called that because he was 'silny jak dąb' (strong as an oak) or hailed from Dąbek or Dąbki (numerous such localities in Poland).

For more information and genealogical leads pertaining to these and other surnames please contact me
swtashoney
31 Mar 2011 #1,710
Looking for Pietras (Americanized), when I looked up in 1910 census, my great grandfather spelled his name, Pietros, which I think is dirived from Piotrow, Poland. Also, is there a polish name for Alexander?

I also have a great grandmother that had a surname of Motsko (I believe Americanized), with a maiden name of Cooper (is there such a polish surname?).

Both list Biala, Galicia, Austria and then only my great grandfather lists Poland after all that. Thought it would help in anyalzing.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

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