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

I always thought OWICZ was Ruthenian in origin which would be Belarusian and Ukrainian. I have some family too from the Kresy region with UK ending surnames. They were probably Polanized ruthenians. I think if you spoke Polish and were Catholic that made you a Pole. But can you be Orthodox and be Polish...? Historically? Or is a Catholic a Pole and an Orthodox a Russian? It seems languages and religions influenced people's national identity somewhat.

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

A distant family member of mine had the first name Parasza, as far as I can tell there is a Russian girls name Parasha/параша which was given to a girl if she was born on good Friday. Could that be the case? Polish version is Parasza?

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

What does the first name/surname Parasza mean?

I always thought surnames ending in kowicz were from the kresy region and more Russian/Belarusian/Ukrainian than Polish. Is that true?