Genealogy / POLISH NOBILITY NAMES IN -SKIi [82]

The -ski ending simply means of or from, as does de, di (Italian), van and von.
Yesteryear's Tomasz z £owicza would in time have evolved into Tomasz £owicki in much the same way as Sir Andrew of Hartmore would have eventually become Andrew Hartmore.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4501]


Comes from "ryk" which is usually the loud sound made by an animal or violent wind. In English (depending on the animal species) is might be a roar, low, bray, growl, bellow, trumpet (elephant),etc. But the root notwithstanding, as with nearly all

-owski ending surnames it probably started out as a toponymic nickname, ie derived from places called Ryków or Rykowo (rough translations: Roarton, Bellowshire, Growlville, Braymont or something in that general vein.

So some distant ancestor may have been called Andrzej z Rykowa (Andrew of Roarton) which over time adjectivalised into Andrzej Rykowski.

Life / Tattoos and Popular culture in Poland [51]

Poland is a pluralistic society and as such different people view different things in different ways. Some view tatoos within the traditional perspective of the convict/seaman/undeclass syndrome or as indicative of weak-minded slaves to fashion ready to uncritically latch on to any passing fad or craze that comes along. Others see it is something cool, trendy, with it, cutting edge, etc. and therefore a badge of what being hip is all about.

Still others see it as a mating signal esp. when worn by tongue-studded and multi-pierced females that someone is a swinger or someone 'on the make' or immoral.

Some people view it in aesthetic terms as either pleasing, cheesy or simply neutral.
And it can also be perceived according to none of the above as yet another example of cheap and tacky commerpop (commercialised media-driven pop culture) out to fleece unsuspecting young people who are the least resistant to MTV and the peer pressures it generates. But no matter how one slcies it, tatoos are a great comemrcial ploy -- you pay dearly to have them applied and even more to later have them removed as many people eventually do. The tatoo guy rakes in a tidy profit, but the customer (victim?) is usually unwittingly exposing himself to an invasive proceudre that is a common cause of deadly type C hepatitis.

There are probably many other takes on all this.

Genealogy / Robert, bobka, stosh, iggy, kasia? - What is my name in Polish? [32]

Robert did not become populkar in Poland until the latter half of 20th century. It originally emerged as a dithematic (twin-rooted) first name derived from the Old High Germanic roots "hrod" (victory, glory) and "beraht" (brilliant, glowing, shining), and that produced the Old High Germanic name Hrodobert. In time that evolved into the German first names Ruprecht, Rubert and finally Robert which went into many different langauges. English hypocorsitic forms invlude Bob, Bobby, Rob, Robby and Robin. Polish endearing diminutives are Robcio, Robuś and Rubunio.

Robert evolved from the German name Ruprecht.
Common hypocoristic (pet) forms iin Polish nclude: Robuś, Robcio, Robusio, Robunio and Robusiek.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4501]

1480 in Poland now use the Ludwig surname. The name's ancestral stronghold would appear to be ŚLąsk (Silesia) including the southern industrial city of Katowice and environs (525), the Opole area to the west (242) and the adjacent Częstochowa area due north of Katowice (129). The rest are scattered. Only 29 Ludwigs today live in our around Gdańsk.

Language / -ski/-ska, -scy/ski, -wicz - Polish surnames help [185]

Merged:FUN WITH POLISH PATRONYMICS (-WICZ, -AK, -UK, -SKI, ETC.)

The "-wicz" ending in Polish, "-vić" in the South Slavonic tongues and "-вич"
(-vich) in Russian are all patronymic endings indicating someone's filiality (sonness).
Other languages also have such features to mention only Peterson, Petersen in teh Germanic langauegs, Perez (son of Pedro) in Spanish, dePierre (French). diPietro (Italian), etc., whose Polish equivalence would be Pietrzak, Pietrzyk, Pietraszek, Piotrowski, Pietraszewski, Pietrzykowski and a slew of others. Other foreign patronymic indicators include Mc, O' (Gaelic), ibn (Arabic) and ben (Hebrew),

Incidentally, Yiddish-speaking Jews living in the Slavonic countries adopted the
-vitz/-wicz ending as in the well-known Judeo-American wine Manischevitz.
But Polish also had several other patronymic endings indicating that someone was eitehr the son or (in the case of occupations) the son or helper/apprentice of someone else. Examples include: Adam Kowalski or Kowalczyk = Adam the blacksmith's son; Bednarski or Bednarczyk = the cooper's boy; Krawczyk = the tailor's son/helper; Adam Pastusiak = the shepherd's/cowherd's son; Woźniak = the coachman's kid; Jasiak, Janik, Janowicz, Jasiewicz, etc. = John's boy; Bartosik = son of Bartosz; Stasiak = son of Staś. Common patronymic endings included:

-czak, -czyk, -wicz, -ski, -ak, -icz, -ic, -ik, -yk and (in the east) also -uk and
-czuk.

Language / -ski/-ska, -scy/ski, -wicz - Polish surnames help [185]

I was using the term patronymic to indicate a Polish surname's etymology as opposed to surnames of other origin such as toponymic (based on place-names), occupational, nationality, religion, common objects, characteristics and so on. Polish patronymic surnames do nto have the same function as Russian patronymics such as the Fiodorovich in Ivan Fiorodov Petrov which actually indicates that this peron's father's Christian name was Fiodor (Theodore).

Language / Polish keyboard 214 is best [34]

Polish typewriters always had the QUERTZ set-up, so the Z-Y thing is no big deal.
If typists so easily unlearnt it, one can surely relearn and resaccustom oneself to it. Besides, if postage-stamp-sized countries such as Denmark can have their own national keyboard, why should people in a big country like Poland have to pretend to be Yanks?

Language / Polish keyboard 214 is best [34]

With the 214 keyboard NO MEMORISATUION IS NEEDED. The keyboard itself comprises engraved keytops £, ę/ą, ć/ś, ń/ż and only the Ż requries a dead-key (first the dot then the Z to type an upper-case Ż). Also engraved in the upper row are the umlaut, acute accent and cedilla, the Czech/Croatian/Slovenian/Lithuanian, etc. haczyk (to type such letters as è š and ž) not to mention the degree sign and others which are very handy.

With the American keyboard you have to go to the toolbar, click on insert then symbol, then scroll down through all the world's alphabets until you find the foreign accented letters you're looking for.

Admittedfly, a lot depends on what kind of texts a person usually types. Tests have shown that when typing in Polish 214 is faster than the American ALT set-up.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4501]

[Moved from]: American equivalents of Polish names - Mitchell and Stanley are not Mieczysław and Stanisław

Mitchell, Stanley, Chester, Bill and Jesse are NOT the lingustiically correct translations of Mieczysław, Stanisław, Czesław, Bolesław and Zdzisław, even though they are often the customary equivalents of choice in N. America.

The same holds true for Bernice, Harriet, Stella and Grace which are NOT the true equivalents of Bronisława, Jadwiga, Stanisława and Grażyna.

But every language has names of its own not readily translatable into other tongues. There are no Polish equivalents of Kenneth, Kevin, Nigel, Trevor, Bruce, Brian, Heather, Holly, Lindsey, Tracy, Dacy, Macy, Lacy, Shmacy...etc.


It probably originally was Świątek whose root is świąt~święt and has generated such words as święto (holiday, feastday), święty (saint, holy), święcić (to bless, consecrate, sanctify).

The -ula ending is a diminutive that expresses pity. For instance biedula means poor, sorry, little thing and contains a note of feeling sorry and expressing sympathy for the person thus named. Cebula is onion and Gawlik is a diminutvie of Gaweł (Gaul, Gall).

For more info on how these suranmes came about, how many people use them, where they live and whether a coat of arms accompanies them

USA, Canada / A good Polish restaurant in Michigan? [25]

Anyone ever tried Pyza, a Polish restauruant on Van Dyke at around 16 or 18 Mile road?

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4501]

Stachowice sounds like a hamlet or town, not someone one could marry. The surname must have been Stachowic (older form) or Stachowicz (newer version). It means Stanson (son of Stan) or the bloke from Stachowice (Stansonville). For more information please contact: research60@gmail

Genealogy / Any Polish Tatars here? [95]

The two original Tartar settlements in Poland are Kruszyniany and Bohuniki in NE Poland's Podlaesie region. These villages were given to Tartar warriors as a reward for their faithfuil service to the Polish king. Their descendants still live in the area and have mosques and celebrate traditonal Moslem holidays.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4501]

Kimpiński does exist in Poland but is extremely rare. It looks to be a spelling variant of Kępiński.

Life / Famous / Iconic Polish Women [43]

Thread attached on merging:
OUTSTANDING POLISH FEMALES...

How about Pola Negri (Apolonia Chałupiec), Stephanie Powers (Fiderkiewicz), Gail Kobe and Martha Stewart (Kostyra)

Language / Poland in different languages? [74]

I thought Lechistan was Turkish?

Language / Where did you start or the best techniques for learning Polish. [85]

The quickest and most efffective is the total-immersion method used by the Berlitz School of Languages, but it suffices to get a non-English-speaking Polish girlfriend or boyfriend to speak it with constantly.

At the school, people sing up for a several-week or several-motnh course but spend from 6 to 10 hours there a day, during which all English is verboten! If you ask "where is the gent's" or say "please pass the salt" (insetad of "proszę o sól") at the lunch table, you won't get it. In other words, this is closest to the way a young child learns a language. It is quite pricey though.

The bf/gf variant presupposes an English-free environment. It works due to the psychological pressure in such a relationship -- not only the desire to communicate but also not to come off as a complete dolt, hence a strong incentive to learn and retain.

Genealogy / Meaning of "Janek" [26]

Also Antoś and Tosiek

Genealogy / Last Name: DOWGIALLO from Poland [44]

The original Lithuanian form of this name was probably Daugela.

Genealogy / Poland Genealogy Resources [130]

Here are some leads that may help point Polish root-seekers int eh right direction:

PIAST Genealogical Research Centre
Warsaw's oldest genealogical firm accepts family-research assignments (records, family trees, coats of arms and related research.
Ośrodek Badan Genealogicznych PIAST
Dr Andrzej Sikorski, Director
Skrytka Pocztowa 9, 00-957 Warsaw 36, Poland
phone: (48-22) 646-5526
e-mail: obgpiast@wp.pl
website: piast.waw.pl

Institute of Genealogy
Researching family records, histories, outstanding ancestors; locating living relatives; interviews, photo documentation, family trees, coats of arms and related services all over the territory of pre-partition Poland.

Andrzej Zygmunt Rola-Stężycki, Director
Aleja Niepodległości 3, 05-600 Grójec, Poland
Office tel/fax: (48-48) 664-1717, (48-48) 664-4415
e-mail: instytut@instytut-genealogii.com.pl; website: instytut-genealogii.com

PolGenResearch genealogical-research firm
Researching vital records (family, military, land, school, census, etc.); family/homestead/cemetery photographs in Poland and neighboring countries; document translation; gen-trips in Poland for visiting Pol-Am root-seekers.

Michał J. Marciniak, General Manager (fluent English)
cellphone: (48) 507 030 334
office@polgenresearch.com
polgenresearch.com

Professional genealogical research
Historian searches archives, provides facsimiles of documents, photos (families, homesteads, graves), accepts other assignments.
Emil Krasnodębski, ul. Pawińskiego 28/7
02-106 Warsaw, Poland: cellphone: (48) 506-152-129
polishgenealogy@rubikon.pl
polishgenealogy.com.pl

Cyndi's List of Polish Genealogical Sites
Extensive listing of Polish genealogy, history and culture sites: archives, libraries, museums, records press resources (obits), mailing lists, newsgroups, chat groups, useful publications, maps, software and other resources facilitating ancestral exploration.

cyndislist.com/poland.htm

Online Polish family-history service operated by US-based Norman J. Pieniążek and his associates in Poland, conducts family research all over Poland (also Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania) and can help clients obtain family records and documents;

Norman@PolishExpress.com
polishexpress.com

Polish/E.European locality-searching site
Contains listings of Polish localities and detailed maps of Poland, former Polish territory now in Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and other Central and East European countries.)

jewishgen.org/ShtetlSeeker/loctown.htm

Old Documents Archives

Genealogical research unit indicates whether sought-after information is available and provides research-cost estimate: before accepting assignments.
Archiwum Akt Dawnych
ul. Długa 7, 00-950 Warsaw, Poland
phone: (48-22) 831-5491>93
chagad@poczta.onet.pl
archiwa.gov.pl

Central State Archives Authority
Located next door to the Archiwum Akt Dawnych [at left] it provides the addresses of regional archives across Poland.
Naczelna Dyrekcja Archiwów Państwowych
ul. Długa 6, 00-950 Warsaw, Poland
phone: (48-22) 831-3206
archiwa.gov.pl

Professional translation of family correspondence, documents, etc. from Polish, Russian, German and Latin into English: Andrew Gołębiowski
109 Rosemead Lane, Cheektowaga, NY 14227
phone: (716) 892-5975
andywbuffalo@yahoo

Polish Red Cross Tracing Service
Traces WWII victims living & dead free of charge.
Biuro Poszukiwań Polski Czerwony Krzyż
ul. Mokotowska 14; 00-950 Warsaw, Poland
phone: (48-22) 326-1264; fax: (48-22) 628-4348
pck.org.pl/poszukiwania/
tracing.service@pck.org.pl

Tracking down church/parish records
Poland's Roman Catholic Church website (opoka.org.pl) may help track down diocesan archives, museums, libraries, organizations and individual parishes around the country.

Polish locality and general data base
This site locates Polish localities, contains zip codes, area codes, train schedules, weight, measure & temperature conversions, namedays, etc.

bazy.hoga.pl/kody.asp

Information Access Department
This official Polish government agency has on file the addresses of all Poles currently living in Poland or who
have died since 1990. Addresses are provided upon written request with the consent of the sought-after party.
Wydział Udostępniania Informacji
ul. Domaniewska 36/38, 02-672 Warsaw, Poland
phone: (48-22) 610-1839 Tracing long-lost relations

Poland's best-known private detective agency engages in locating relatives and others in Poland and abroad:
Biuro Doradcze Krzysztof Rutkowski
phone: (48-22) 654-0062, 620-5033
website: rutkowskidetektyw.pl
e-mail: biuro@rutkowskidetektyw.pl

Other Internet sites of interest to Polish root-seekers:

- rootsweb.com/~polwgw/
- jewishgen.org/databases/galicia1891.htm
- infobel.com/teldir/
- genealogyunlimited.com
- hamburg.de/LinkToYourRoots/english/welcome.htm

Tracing long-lost relations
Poland's oldest private investigation bureau tracks down long-lost relations, keeping tabs on business partners, spouses, children, etc.:
Protect Agency
phone: (48-22) 750-6151
cellphone: (48) 502-709-773;
website: protect-ochrona.com

Tracing Soviet victims
This organization researches and documents the fate of Poles victimized by the Soviet authorities in WWII:
Fundacja Ośrodka KARTA
ul. Narbutta 29, 02-536 Warsaw, Poland
phone: (+48 22) 848-0712, fax: 646-6511
e-mail: indeks@karta.org.pl

Tracing Nazi victims
This foundation documetns and assists victims of Nazi atrocities and their families:
Fundacja Polsko-Niemieckie Pojednanie
ul. Krucza 36, 00-921 Warsaw, Poland; phone:
(+48 22) 695-9941
website: fpnp.pl
e-mail: informacja@fpnp.pl

Food / Polish Sour Milk / Maślanka [44]

Zsiadłe mleko (clabbered sour milk) is now commercially available and packaged as such in Poland and in Polish shops abroad.

Twaróg (white curd cheese or farmer cheese), whether home-made or shop-bought*, undergoes what is known in Polish as zgliwienie. That means it is on the verge of fermentation and starts getting a bit slimy round the edges. In that form it is fried until melted. Traditonally it is seasoned with pepper, sweet paprika, possibly caraway and simmered a while longer. When it cools the gooey, rubbery mass can be spread on bread or, if it is stiff enough, sliced. It's not bad, esp. with generous vodka or beer accompaniment.

*Nowadays the comemrcially sold white cheese may be lace with spoilage retardants and may therefore not produce a palatable end-product.