pgtx 29 | 3,146 24 Mar 2011 #1,681I 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 #1,682My last is Hejnowskimight 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 #1,683HajnowskiThat'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 #1,684might 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 #1,685HEJNOWSKI: 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 #1,686Can 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 #1,687BARACZ: 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).
valpomike 11 | 195 24 Mar 2011 #1,689What does, Dabrowski mean, and where would they have come from?Mike
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367 24 Mar 2011 #1,690DĄBROWSKI: 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 #1,691My 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 #1,692wojcik i wana no if theres more letters! first names modena wojcik.ski would be sick!!!
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367 25 Mar 2011 #1,695IMIAK/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 #1,696Merged thread:Looking for info on Antonak last nameI 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 #1,697gilanoski 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 #1,698Merged thread:origin of name szpinDo you know the origin of the name Szpin?
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367 27 Mar 2011 #1,699ANTONAK: patronymic nick from Antoni or AntonGILANOWSKI???: 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 #1,700Hello,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 RegardsSimon Osman
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367 28 Mar 2011 #1,701OSMAN: 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 #1,702I'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 #1,703Thera are 327 people in Polan with name Szałapski, in Warsaw only 14.
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367 29 Mar 2011 #1,705BOBER: 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 meLUTOWSKI: 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 WalerianFor more info and genealogical leads for these and other surnames please contact me
kkcolt4 30 Mar 2011 #1,706are 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 #1,707KIECO£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 #1,708Merged thread:Name requestsIf 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 oneZwierzyński: 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 #1,709PIEKARZ: 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 ZwierzynDĄBKIEWICZ: 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 #1,710Looking 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!