Polish last names, like many others in the region, tend to be based on occupations/jobs, places, or nicknames. Etymologically speaking, these three categories are known as cognominal, toponymic, and patronymic, respectively. Around the 13th century, it became trendy for people to add the suffix -ski (which means “of”) to their last names. It still remains one of the biggest clues that a name is Polish — roughly 35 percent of the 1000 most popular Polish surnames have the -ski suffix. Between the 15th and 17th centuries, most people had three names: a given name, a clan name, and a last name. Then, between the end of the 17th century and mid-19th century, most of the population dropped their clan names, with the focus then placed on the family name; many of which remain.
You’ll also see Slavic names among Polish last names. Legend has it that when these names were given, the bearer was meant to fulfill the prophecy of the name’s meaning. But when a ban on pagan names was imposed with the Council of Trent, these old Slavic names — and their suffixes used to create surnames — all but died out. As is true with naming in many cultures, though, trends and customs have seen several evolutions over time. In the 19th century, Poles reclaimed the old Slavic names and suffixes out of patriotism. Some of these are still in use today.
It’s no wonder that Polish last names are popular — it’s a fascinating region and culture. Did you know that Poland is the ninth largest country in Europe? But that isn’t the only cool thing you should keep in mind about this Eastern European nation. For one, it shares a border with seven other countries including Russia, Lithuania, Belarus, Slovakia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and Germany. (That’s a lot of neighbors!) Its official name is the Republic of Poland and, within their culture, they value health, faith, adaptability, generosity, justice, nobility, tradition, stoicism, sentimentality, and optimism.
Do you want to learn more last names from other countries? We’ve gathered surnames from around the world to satiate your curiosity. Check out our bounty of Spanish, Mexican, and Brazilian last names!
Poland is a vast country filled with millions of people with a million stories. Last names can give you a glimpse of that. Ready to learn more? Check out some of the most popular Polish last names, along with their meanings and origins.
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- Adamik
Meaning: Man
Origin: Hebrew - Andrysiak
Meaning: Son of Andrzej
Origin: Polish - Adamski
Meaning: Someone from Adamy, a village in Poland
Origin: Polish, Jewish, Ashkenazic - Antol
Meaning: Precious
Origin: Latin - Augustyn
Meaning: Augustinus; exalted, majestic, or venerable
Origin: Polish, Latin - Bartosz
Meaning: Son of Talmai or son of Furrows
Origin: Polish - Bosko
Meaning: Barefoot
Origin: Polish, Slovak - Broz
Meaning: Immortal
Origin: Polish - Brzezinski
Meaning: Birch forest
Origin: Polish - Budny
Meaning: Hut, cabin
Origin: Polish - Bukoski
Meaning: Someone who belonged to the town of Bukowo
Origin: Polish - Chlebek
Meaning: Bread
Origin: Polish - Chmiel
Meaning: Someone who grows hops (the plant used to brew beer)
Origin: Polish - Czajka
Meaning: Lapwing bird
Origin: Polish - Czajkowski
Meaning: Someone who belongs to the village of Czajkow or any other place with a name starting with the word Czajk
Origin: Polis - Dabrowski
Meaning: Oak grove
Origin: Polish - Dudek
Meaning: A crested Old World nonpasserine bird
Origin: Polish, Ukrainian, Czech, Slovak - Dziedzic
Meaning: Landowner
Origin: Polish - Gorecki
Meaning: Mountain
Origin: Polish - Jabłoński
Meaning: Apple tree
Origin: Polish - Jagoda
Meaning: Berry
Origin: Polish - Jankowski
Meaning: Someone from Jankow
Origin: Polish - Jaworski
Meaning: Maple; someone from Jawory
Origin: Polish - Kaczka
Meaning: Duck
Origin: Polish - Kaczmarek
Meaning: Innkeeper
Origin: Polish - Kaminski
Meaning: Stone, rock
Origin: Polish - Kowalski
Meaning: Blacksmith
Origin: Polish - Kozlowski
Meaning: From the town of the goat
Origin: Polish - Król
Meaning: King
Origin: Polish - Kwiatkowski
Meaning: Flower; someone from Kwiatkow
Origin: Polish - Laska
Meaning: Grace, mercy
Origin: Polish - Lewandowski
Meaning: Lavender
Origin: Polish - Majewski
Meaning: Someone from Majewo
Origin: Polish - Malinowski
Meaning: Raspberry; someone from Malinow in Poland or Malinov in Ukraine
Origin: Slavic - Nosek
Meaning: Small nose
Origin: Polish - Nowak
Meaning: New
Origin: Polish - Olszewski
Meaning: Someone from Olszewo
Origin: Polish - Pawlak
Meaning: Little
Origin: Polish - Raatz
Meaning: Wise, just man; counsel, advice
Origin: Polish, German - Raba
Meaning: Teacher
Origin: Polish
- Rabarchak
Meaning: Son of the rabbi
Origin: Polish - Rabinowitz
Meaning: Son of the rabbi
Origin: Polish-Lithuanian Ashkenazi Jewish - Rach
Meaning: Rough, stiff
Origin: Polish, German - Rachman
Meaning: Merciful
Origin: Polish, Jewish
- Rachowski
Meaning: Someone from Rakowo
Origin: Polish - Racki
Meaning: Someone from Radzie in Bialystok and Suwalki voivodeships.
Origin: Polish - Ryba
Meaning: Fisherman
Origin: Polish - Sniegow
Meaning: Person from a place with snow
Origin: Polish - Stępień
Meaning: A plodder, someone with a slow gait
Origin: Polish - Szymanski
Meaning: Someone from Szymany in Konin or Lomza Voivodeships
Origin: Polish - Wiater
Meaning: Wind
Origin: Polish - Wiśniewski
Meaning: Cherry; someone from Wisniewo
Origin: Polish - Witkowski
Meaning: To guide the people; someone from Witkowo
Origin: Polish - Wojciech
Meaning: Warrior, war
Origin: Polish - Wojciechowski
Meaning: Someone from Wojciechowo
Origin: Polish - Wójcik
Meaning: Son of Wójt
Origin: Polish - Wozniak
Meaning: Caretaker
Origin: Polish - Wróbel
Meaning: Sparrow
Origin: Polish - Zabek
Meaning: Tooth
Origin: Polish - Zając
Meaning: Hare
Origin: Proto-Slavic - Zieliński
Meaning: Green
Origin: Polish
- Adamik
