How Daniel surname is common in Poland? Could it have had its origins in the 17/18th c. Scottish immigration?

Hi,

My family were German/Polish, depending on which generation we look at, born around the Opole district. I'm trying to understand whether the surname Daniel was/is common and whether it could have had its origins in the Scottish immigration in the 1600-1700's?

Any thoughts?

Thanks, Simone

4221 people have this surname in Poland:
moikrewni.pl/mapa/kompletny/daniel.html

It's Old Testament's name, so it came from Bible rather than Scotland. But who knows.

sounds more Jewish than anything else to me to be honest, in the line of Levy, Abrahams, etc.

Not necessarily. Surnames that look exactly like first names are very common in France for instance. Could be the same (a bit less maybe) in Germany.

Daniel is of Hebrew origin, but the people who bear this name are generally not Jewish.
Now, in Poland, who knows?...

It's a normal common name. Maybe not as popular as Piotr or Tomasz, but still common. Nothing funny or connotating in it.

Not at all rare. There are about 4200 people with that name, scattered all over Poland:

moikrewni.pl/mapa/kompletny/daniel.html

I doubt that the surname is restricted to a single genealogical line. You would have to have solid documentation of whether YOUR PARTICULAR line had its origins in the Scottish immigration in the 1600-1700's. The name itself is not to useful here. You need actual genealogical records for each generation back until that time.

Thanks everybody for you thoughts.

I had thought at one time that maybe it was Jewish, shortened from Danielwicz(?) but no evidence back to the early 1800's where the records hit a brick wall for that line. But the family were seasonal workers so I guess I'm back to focusing on Germany.

Poland really has such an interesting history.
I just read about Woytek the army bear and learnt about the strong connection between Scotland/Poland in the book.

I have another question about WWII polish officers being harrassed in the 50's due to war time allegiances if anyone has knowledge in that area. Not fun stuff though.

It would have to be Danielewicz.

@soybomb
It's in the bible :)

Daniel