Life / Why Polish people should be proud of being Polish? [370]

Rather than attacking Polish Americans who are proud of their Polish heritage, why don't the citizens of Tusklandia, the subjects of Tricky Don & Count Bron, explain why they like living in a 'kultura odtwórcza' (copycat, imitative, re-creative culture) rather than a 'twórcza' (creative) one.

No matter what anyone thinks of rap-crap, at least the Afros have made a contribution that even some hip-hopping Japs fancy. The Mexicans have provided tacos, mariachi bands and salsa (both the sauce and the dance), and even postage-stamp-sized Ireland is known world-wide for its Irish pubs, Guinness (stout and Book o' Records), St Paddy's Day stuff and Riverdance. Although they are no longer Swedish owned, the Volvo and Saab marques are still associated with Swedish engineering. We could add burgers, pizza KFC and kebabs, skateboarding, bungee jumping, breakdancing, reality shows, etc., etc.-- all imports from more creative cultures.

Where is Tuskandia in that global picture? I also like Lem (esp. his satire on PRL cloaked in sci-fi metaphors to deceive the PRL censors), but he, together with Chopin, Gombrowicz, Piłsudski, Mickiewicz, Sobieski and JP II are now history. Now there is only Wałęsa, Wajda and Penderecki, but how widely are they known world-wide? And what are you Old Country Poles doing to change that?

Life / Why Polish people should be proud of being Polish? [370]

What does physical presence have to do with anything? One can be a good inchtiologist without knowing how to swim. With today's net resources one can perform surgery half a world away from the parient and analyse every manner of phenomena occurring anywhere on the planet.

Life / Why Polish people should be proud of being Polish? [370]

It's amazing there are some on PF who elevate their physical presence in their truncated, miniscule post-PRL to the rank of some achievement or virtue. But so many of today's RPIII-dwellers are not only the chidlren and grandchildren of former PZPR members who were the mainstay of the treacherous Soviet-imposed system. How many of the PF's self-styled Jew-lovers are the descendants of those who joined and/or supported the communist anti-Semitic purge of 1968? And now the children and grandchidren of those PRL-ians are themselves betraying their own heritage by opting for everything foreign and imported rather than creating somethign original of their own. American-style bowling, fastfood and comptuer keyboards, foreign music and film hits, Japanese sushi bars, German cars, Korean TV set, etc. have all but displaced most everything indigenously Polish. It's all about emulation of alien patterns without any original Polish input or innovation. And how many of these ersatz stay-at-home 'patriots' are actually paid mercenaries who, despite their physical presence in RPIII, are in the employ of foreign corporations, banks and other companies which siphon off the profits to their home countries.

Admittedly, there are also traitors amongst Polonia, Pol-Ams who have turned their back on their heritage, changed their names from Bednarkiewicz to Cooper and sought to melt into American WASPdom. But luckily there are also those who not only say their are proud to be Polish but actively promote their heritage -- somewhat like missionaries spreading the good word.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

CHARZUK: looks to be a patronymic nick incorporating he Ruthenian patronymic ending -uk. The root is rather uncertain but could have been taken from the village of Charz (Lublin region) or Charzewo, although the latter is at the opposite (far-from-Ruthenian) end of Poland in Wielkopolska.

The Charza surname, though very rare, does exist in Poland, so Charzuk may have been his son.

Life / Why Polish people should be proud of being Polish? [370]

Things Poles/Polonians can be proud of:
-- Poles welcomed Jews and religious dissenters fleeing being burnt at the stake and other forms of persecution in the 'enlightened' West;
-- Poland was a bulwark of Christianity against invading pagan hordes at Legnica in the 13th century, at Vienna in the 17th century and at the gates of Warsaw in 1920 and brought and end to the enslavement of half of Europe in 1980-1989; will it also manage to resist the onslaught of today's aggressive, toxic, mind-polluting pop culture remains to be seen;

-- Poles never conquered and exploited the hapless people of overseas colonies the way the Brits, French and Spanish did;
-- Poles fought for 'Your freedom and ours' in defence of many nations including the USA, Haiti, Italy, Hungary, Britain and Holland;
-- In the Battle of Britain Polish aviators had a better kill record than the Brits who were presumably defending their own homeland;
-- Poles have largely remained true to their motto 'Polonia semper fidelis' and 'Bóg - Honor - Ojczyzna';
– Poland has more religious vocations per capita than most or all other European countries;
-- Poland has lower crime, abortion, suicide and divorce rates than many other countries.
– More Polish Americans per capita fought for America’s freedom in the First and Second World Wars than most other ethnic groups;
– Polish Americans have long enjoyed a reputation of a hard-working, law-abiding community that faithfully pays their taxes, keeps up their homes and keeps their kids out of trouble.

-- Poles and Polonians rank amongst the bravest and most hospitable people found anywhere.

Many more things could be cited, but that will have to do for staters!

Genealogy / Looking Into The Surname Bednarczuk: Ukrainian, Polish, Ruthenian, Belarusian, etc? [27]

ToddOPD
FYI -chuk is not the Ukrainian spelling of the Polish ending -czuk, it is the customary English transliteration of Ukrainian -чук. Incidentally, the Germans would transliterate is at –tschuk. (Khruschev’s name was spelt some 30 different ways by different Western newspapers.).

Bednarèuk is the speling in Croatia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Genealogy / Looking Into The Surname Bednarczuk: Ukrainian, Polish, Ruthenian, Belarusian, etc? [27]

TURCZYN: Turk, one of many natioanality-derived surnames in Polish including Rusek, Rusin, Niemiec, Czech, Szwed, Cygan, Żydek, Węgier, Madziar, Włoch, Szwab, Duńczyk, Holender, etc.

Life / Why Polish people should be proud of being Polish? [370]

Merged: Polish and proud?

At the various Polish fests, fêtes and festivals held esp. in the warmer months across Polish America, in addition to the kiełbasa, gołąbki and pierogi circuit, there are the inevitable stalls selling ethnic novelties and bric-a-brac. These include T-shirts with such slogans as 'Polish & proud' and 'Kiss me, I'm Polish!'

That raises the question: If you are Polish, are you proud, and if so -- what of?
This is addressed to the Old World Poles on PF as well as world-wide Polonians of the Diaspora. Assorted poms, limeys, jocks, micks and other...

Idiotic racial slur removed

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

KOWYNIA: root “kow-” as in Old Polish kować (to forge, modern Polish kuć), from which sprang kowal, et. al. Probably topo nick from village of Koweniec near Lwów (now in Ukraine) or Russian Ковыненкa (Kowynienka).

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

MA£EK: root-word mały (small, little, diminutive, tiny); nickname for dwarf or midget; or topo nick from Małki, Małków, Małecz, etc.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

PRYZYBY£OWSKI: root-word przybyć (to arrive). Like nearly all surnames ending in -owski this orignated as a toponymic tag to identify a native or inhabitant of villages such as Przybyłów or Przybyłowo (Arrivalton, Comeville, etc.).

Genealogy / "Choroszucha" - Jewish family name? [19]

CHOROSZUCHA: root-word chorost (Ruthenian for brush wood, Polish chrust); probably the fem. form of Choroszuch (possibly the kindlewood-gatherer); most live in NE Poland's Podlasie region around Białystok where Polish and Ruthenian (Belarussian) cultures have long intermingled. The bearer of the name is another story - Poles, Jews, Germans and others can bear Polish, Russian, Ukranian, German, Czech, Lithuanian and even French, Dutch, Scandinavian, Itlalian and other surnames which does not necessarily reflect their ethnicity.

Variant forms: Choroszczuch, Chroszuk et al.

Genealogy / Crest and the meaning of last name Sumski [33]

If you say it was with a zed (or sz in other words) and was longer, then it might have been: Szumkowski, Szumiłowski Szumiński, Szumliński, Szumotalski, Szumicki; Szumnarski, etc.

But 'might have been' is prue guesswork. You would have to come up with some documents or other evidence pointing to one of those names, otherwise you'll be off on a wild goose chase.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

ANUSKIEWICZ: variant spelling of Anuszkiewicz and Hanuszkiewicz; patronymic from Hanusz, regional peasant form of the first name Jan (John) = Johnson.

D£UGOWOLSKI: topo nick from village of Długowola

KOZA: goat; maybe the original nickname-bearers raised them, smelled like one or came from some village with 'Koza' in its name.

Genealogy / Crest and the meaning of last name Sumski [33]

What's the clan-name of her family coat of arms? If unknown, what is her maiden name?

Genealogy / Crest and the meaning of last name Sumski [33]

No coat of arms for Sumski, but there were nobles amongst the Szumskis who belonged to two separate clans: Poronia and Jastrzębiec.

Genealogy / Crest and the meaning of last name Sumski [33]

SUMSKI: as already stated it could be a 'Masurianised' pronunciation of Szumski from, szum (rustle, murmur, metaphorically commotion as in 'narobić szumu'); or from sum (sheatfish), now the largest sweet-water fish in Poland (often 7 ft in length and 150 lbs).

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

KARASIEWICZ: patronymic nick for the son of someone called Karaś (crucian, a fish).

£AZIŃSKI: topographic from łazy (a field full of stumps and branches after a wooded area has been cleared) or toponymic from the village of £azy.

For more info please contact me

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

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.

Genealogy / Just found out I'm Polish! [45]

There are two kinds of people in the world: those that are Polish and those that wish they were. Amen!

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

Could it have been Kalem(b)czuk? Sonmeone may have been thinking of the English hard C (with a K sound) and respelt it that way.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

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)

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

D£UGOWOLSKI: dithematic comprising długi (long) and wola (will); actually topo nick from Długowola, roughly translatable as Freetown of Longville.

WYSOCKI: Topo nick from Wysokie (Highville, Upton, Talltown); 19 different heraldic lines including Grzymała, Prawdzic, Odrowąż and Rawicz.

For more details on the above and other surnames please contact me

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

DZIECIĄTKOWSKI: probably topo nick from Dzieciątków (Infantville).

For more info on how the name came about, where the Dzieciątkowskis live, what their heraldic links are, etc. please contact me

KAJZER: Polish spelling of German Kaiser (emperor)

SZTEFKO: Pet form of Stefan pronounced the German way

BALCERZAK: patronymic tag from Balcer (German version of first name of Baltazar)

LDZIARSTEK: ????? (please re-check spelling)

KOWALCZYK: patronymic tag from Kowal = blacksmith's son or helper

For more info on name development, places of origin, heraldic links, etc. please contact me

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

Some Stolarz descendant named Stolarski (meaning 'the carpenter's son') did achieve noble status as was entitled to use the Stylarski c-o-a.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

LICZEWSKI: German spelling Litschewski; topo nick from Liczewo

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

MRÓWCZYŃSKI: This is the msot likely Polish spelling; root-word mrówka (ant); probably topo nick from Mrówczyno (Antville); surnamed pronounced: mroof-CHIN-ski.

Genealogy / Jambrich/Yambrick surname? [34]

JAMBRYCH: Has been reocrded in Poland together with the Jambryk, Jamryk and Jamrych versions as names derived from the German first name Emryk/Emrich. They are shared throughout the Polish-Bohemian-Slovak area.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

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.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

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.