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.
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. Poland is a vast country filled with millions of people with a million stories and in their culture, last names can give you a glimpse of it.
Ready to learn more? Here are 40 popular Polish last names, along with their meanings and origins.
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!
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- Bosko
Meaning: Barefoot
Origin: Polish/Slovak - Budny
Meaning: Hut, cabin
Origin: Polish - Chlebek
Meaning: Bread
Origin: Polish - Dabrowski
Meaning: Oak grove
Origin: Polish - Dudek
Meaning: Derived from hoopoe, a crested Old World nonpasserine bird
Origin: Polish, Ukrainian, Czech, Slovak - Dziedzic
Meaning: Landowner
Origin: Polish - Gorecki
Meaning: Mountain
Origin: Polish - Jabłoński
Meaning: Derived from jabłoń, meaning “apple tree”
Origin: Polish - Jagoda
Meaning: Berry
Origin: Polish - Jankowski
Meaning: Habitational name for someone from Jankow, Jankowo, or Jankowice
Origin: Polish - Jaworski
Meaning: Habitational name for someone from Jawory or Jaworze; derived from jawor, meaning “maple” - 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: Habitational name for someone from Kwiatkow, Kwiatkowo, or Kwiatkowice; derived from kwiatek, meaning “flower”
Origin: Polish - Laska
Meaning: Grace, mercy
Origin: Polish - Lewandowski
Meaning: Lavender
Origin: Polish - Majewski
Meaning: Habitational name for someone from Majewo
Origin: Polish - Malinowski
Meaning: Habitational name for someone from Malinow, Malinowo, or Malinowka in Poland or Malinov, Malinova, or Malinovka in Ukraine; derived from Slavic malina, meaning “raspberry” - Nosek
Meaning: Small nose
Origin: Polish - Nowak
Meaning: New
Origin: Polish - Olszewski
Meaning: Habitational name for someone from Olsze, Olszew, Olszewa, or Olszewo
Origin: Polish - Pawlak
Meaning: Patronymic from first name Pawel, meaning “little”
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: Habitational name for someone from Szymany in Konin or Lomza voivodeships
Origin: Polish - Wiater
Meaning: Wind
Origin: Polish - Wiśniewski
Meaning: Habitational name for someone from Wisniewo, Wisniew, or Wisniewa; derived from wiśnia, meaning “cherry”
Origin: Polish - Witkowski
Meaning: Habitational name for someone from Witkowo, Witkow, or Witkowice; derived from the first name Witek, meaning “to guide the people” - Wojciechowski
Meaning: Habitational name for someone from Wojciechowo or Wojciechow
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
- Bosko
