Polish origin is easily recognized by the name of its carrier. Polish surnames have a deep history and identity. The period of formation and appropriation of Polish surnames is considered the fifteenth century. Initially, it was customary to give them exclusively to persons of noble origin, that is, gentry.
Where did the Polish noble families come from (list of the most famous)
A significant role in the formation of the noble initials was played by the appearance of the gentry, which originally designated the military estate. Then all the gentry had equal rights, and differed only in income. In 1138, there was a need for troops, because there was no regular army then. In this regard, the gentry from one locality decided to unite in societies with an individual name and their own coat of arms. The coat of arms became the property of each member of the community, and the name of the clan was included in the surname. The names of the emblems were very different, for example, klejnotni, współherbowni, herbowni. They became part of the surname of many genera, which led to the emergence of the concept of "official relationship". Among the most popular include the names of Lewandowski and Allan-Orekhovsky.
How did simple Polish surnames appear (list)
Only in the seventeenth century did ordinary Poles get the opportunity to carry a surname. Those who did not belong to a noble family received their initials depending on their personal name, place of residence or occupation. Initially, urban residents came to this, and only then the villagers. It was the occupation that most often was the basis for its appropriation.
The list of simple surnames usually includes the surname Kowalski formed from the profession. That is, the man who forged is now a blacksmith. As for the people born in Vilna, they were guaranteed to be called Vilna. Speaking of double Polish surnames, the list of which is not very diverse today, it is worth noting that they were especially popular several centuries ago. For example, Boy-Zhelensky is a double surname, the first part of which is the nickname of its carrier.
When the surname base is borrowed
The history of the development of the Polish principality is closely intertwined with the fates of neighboring and distant powers. Polish surnames (alphabetical list below), borrowed from the Ukrainian people, most often mean a profession or a character trait of its carrier. These include: Bachinsky, Vishnevsky, Dovgalevsky, Kotlyarsky, Poplavsky, Remigovsky, Shvidkovsky. Polish surnames borrowed from the Lithuanian people (alphabetical list): Bryl, Vaganas, Korsak, Miksha, Ruksha.
In addition, there are those who appeared under the influence of other nationalities. Shervinsky - a surname that came from the German language and is directly related to the town of Schirvindt. Kochovsky came from Czech, and Berezovsky from Russian. Old Russian language became the progenitor of the name Sudovsky. Relations with the Jews brought their notes to the Polish vocabulary (Grzybowski and Zholondzewski). The study of the history of the origin of Polish surnames must be carried out in conjunction with the history of the Slavic peoples. Only such an approach allows obtaining reliable data.
Polish last names for girls (list)
Women's initials in Poland have one unique feature. Their completion directly depends on whether the girl is married or not. If the lady is married, then the ending for her last name is -ówna or - (i) anka, otherwise the lonely girl gets the last name with the ending -owa or -ina, -yna. The most beautiful Polish surnames for girls (list): Cheviola, Sudnik, Vishnevskaya, Zavadskaya, Karel, Kowalska, Matseng. For married ladies: Novakova, Kobin, Pukhalin. Typical unmarried: Kordzyakuvna, Moravianka.
Famous Poles
Polish female beauty captivates and disarms many men. The most beautiful bearer of the Polish family is considered Nastasya Kinski. Despite the fact that the actress was born in Germany, her father is an ethnic Pole, originally from Sopot. The photograph in which her naked body is wrapped around a python brought her special popularity. The second place in the ranking of the most famous and beautiful carriers of Polish surnames is occupied by Barbara Brylskaya. The Polish actress is familiar to many by the role of Nadi in the New Year’s film "The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!".
Rounding out the three leaders is the inimitable Apolonia, or Paul Rax, recognized by the most popular Polish actress. She starred in various films of Polish and Soviet production. Rax gained fame after the release of the film "Four Tankers and a Dog." But do not forget about no less charming and talented Poles: Beatu Tyszkiewicz (Polish actress), Rosalia Mantsevich (miss Poland 2010), Magdalena Meltzaj (Polish model and actress), Barbara Karska (actress), Olga Savitskaya (Polish ballerina, actress , choreographer).
About Polish men
The male half of the country's population also has numerous beautiful Polish surnames. Their list is huge, and the most memorable, of course, belong to famous personalities. A seductive look, light unshaven, aristocratic becoming, a speaking surname - these are all Mikhail Zhebrovsky. A theater and film actor, born in Warsaw, starred in the films The Witcher and The Pianist that are familiar to many.
The holder of the most mysterious gaze, the Polish actor Maciej Zakošelzny is among the three most beautiful Polish men. His one look makes the girls lose their heads. Young handsome Mateusz Damensky is the owner of a difficult, but at the same time very attractive surname. He graduated from the Theater Academy in Warsaw and glorified his name throughout the country with roles in the films Black, Russian Revolt, Love and Dance. Actors Pavel Delong, Pavel Malashinsky, Janusz Gayos, Daniel Olbrykhsky, Anthony Pavlitsky have no less beautiful and distinctive names.
Change of surnames
Polish surnames are very diverse, as we see. A list of those who have been changed can also be made. Any resident of Poland, if desired, can apply for a change of name. Most often these are cases when the surname is dissonant when pronouncing or does not have Polish roots. It happens when the surname is identical to the name, then it is also changed. The corresponding service would definitely not refuse to change the surname to persons whose initials complete the words: Meloch, Zapadlovsky, Zayaitsky, Vynka, Zaryemba, Skorupko. Also, often Poles change their names in order to give it sonority and relevance in different countries. This reason is especially popular for show business stars. So, one famous Polish actress, having a real name Kizyuk, decided that she was not sonorous enough and replaced her with Karel. Among the Polish stars who believe that their surname is inappropriate for the star is Zofia Soretok with the real surname Taubwursel.
The formation of Polish-Jewish surnames
Polish Jews received their surnames according to various Polish words. Also, many of them appeared on behalf of the father or mother, the region of residence. Most often, Polish-Jewish surnames have the ending –sky or –ivich. One of the most common surnames of Polish-Jewish origin is Grzybowski.
Before, it was important for Jews to have several variants of surnames. They used one, for example, Pozner, communicating with the Jews, while in a conversation with the Poles, the surname Poznansky was pronounced. Surnames based on the name of the city of residence are absolutely typical, and they were most often used by Polish Jews.
The surnames, the list of which is huge, have some of the most common. Among them are Warsaw, Krakow, Lobzovsky, Patsanovsky. After the division of Poland, Austrian and Prussian authorities began to give names to Jews. It was they who began to ridicule the Jews and give them unflattering names (for example, Wolgeruh - means "incense"; or Ochtsenshwanz - "bull tail"). The Polish authorities did not allow themselves at that time, although by the nineteenth century they introduced such names as Inventory ("inventory") or Outlets ("toilet"). Of course, these are less offensive surnames, but still there are no people who want to be their bearer.