lastnamegenerators

Polish Last Names

Explore Polish last names from Nowak and Kowalski to rare village names, each with its meaning. Learn what the -ski, -wicz and -ak endings tell you and how names changed in America.

300 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

  • Adamczyk

    Son of Adam

  • Adamski

    Son of Adam, or from Adamy

  • Andrzejewski

    Son of Andrzej

B

  • Bąk

    Bittern bird, or horsefly

  • Baran

    Ram

  • Baranowski

    From a place named Baranów, ram

  • Bartczak

    Son of Bartek, Bartholomew

  • Bartkowiak

    Son of Bartek

  • Bednarek

    Son of the cooper

  • Bednarz

    Cooper, barrel maker

  • Białas

    White-haired, fair

  • Bielecki

    From a place named Bielcza, white

  • Błaszczyk

    Son of Błażej, Blaise

  • Bocian

    Stork

  • Bogdański

    Son of Bogdan, given by God

  • Borkowski

    From a place named Borki, forest

  • Borowski

    From a place named Borów, pine forest

  • Boruta

    Forest demon of Polish folklore

  • Brzeziński

    From a place named Brzezina, birch

  • Brzozowski

    From a place named Brzozów, birch

  • Buczek

    Little beech

  • Bukowski

    From a place named Bukowo, beech

  • Bury

    Grey-brown, dun colored

  • Burzyński

    From a place named Burzyn, storm

C

  • Cebula

    Onion

  • Chmielewski

    From a place named Chmielewo, hops

  • Chojnacki

    From a place named Chojnata, pine

  • Chopin

    Composer's family name, of French origin

  • Chrzanowski

    From a place named Chrzanów, horseradish

  • Chudy

    Thin, skinny

  • Cichy

    Quiet, silent

  • Ciesielski

    Carpenter's son, or from Ciesielsko

  • Cieślak

    Son of the carpenter

  • Cieślik

    Little carpenter

  • Cybulski

    From a place named Cybulice, onion

  • Cygan

    From Cygan, a Roma person, or a nickname for a wanderer

  • Czajka

    Lapwing bird

  • Czapla

    Heron

  • Czarnecki

    From a place named Czarnca, black

  • Czartoryski

    Princely family from Czartorysk

  • Czech

    Bohemian, person from Bohemia

  • Czerwiński

    From a place named Czerwin, red

D

  • Dąbek

    Little oak

  • Dąbrowski

    From a place named Dąbrowa, oak grove

  • Dębski

    From a place named Dęby, oak

  • Długosz

    Tall man

  • Dobosz

    Drummer

  • Domagała

    Demanding one

  • Domański

    From a place named Domanice

  • Drozd

    Thrush bird

  • Dróżdż

    Yeast

  • Duda

    Bagpipe, bagpiper

  • Dudek

    Hoopoe bird, a simpleton

  • Dziedzic

    Heir, landowner

F

  • Fijałkowski

    From a place named Fijałków, violet

  • Filipiak

    Son of Filip

  • Frankowski

    From a place named Franki

G

  • Gajda

    Bagpipe, clumsy one

  • Gajewski

    From a place named Gajewo, grove

  • Gąsiorowski

    From a place named Gąsiorowo, gander

  • Gawron

    Rook, crow

  • Glinka

    Clay soil

  • Głowacki

    From głowa, head, or a place name

  • Gołąb

    Pigeon, dove

  • Gorczyca

    Mustard

  • Górecki

    From a place named Górka, small hill

  • Górski

    From the mountain, hill dweller

  • Grabowski

    From a place named Grabów, hornbeam

  • Gruszka

    Pear

  • Grzegorczyk

    Son of Grzegorz

  • Grzelak

    Son of Grzegorz

  • Grzyb

    Mushroom

  • Gwóźdź

    Nail

H

  • Hajduk

    Foot soldier, brigand

I

  • Iwanowski

    Son of Iwan

J

  • Jabłoński

    From a place named Jabłonna, apple tree

  • Jagiełło

    Lithuanian royal house, from Jogaila

  • Jakubowski

    From a place named Jakubów

  • Janik

    Son of Jan

  • Jankowski

    From a place named Janków

  • Jarosz

    From Jarosław, or a vegetarian

  • Jarząbek

    Hazel grouse

  • Jasiński

    From a place named Jasień, ash tree

  • Jaworski

    From a place named Jawor, sycamore

  • Jędrzejewski

    Son of Jędrzej, Andrew

  • Jeleń

    Deer, stag

  • Jóźwiak

    Son of Józef

K

  • Kaczmarczyk

    Son of the innkeeper

  • Kaczmarek

    Son of the innkeeper

  • Kaczyński

    From a place named Kaczyn, duck

  • Kaleta

    Leather pouch, purse

  • Kalinowski

    From a place named Kalinowo, viburnum

  • Kamiński

    From a place named Kamień, stone

  • Kania

    Kite, bird of prey

  • Kapusta

    Cabbage

  • Karpiński

    From a place named Karpin, carp

  • Kasprzak

    Son of Kasper

  • Kasprzyk

    Son of Kasper

  • Kaźmierczak

    Son of Kazimierz

  • Kędzierski

    Curly-haired

  • Kisiel

    Sour fruit jelly

  • Klimek

    Little Klemens

  • Kmiecik

    Little peasant farmer

  • Kolasa

    Cart, carriage

  • Kołodziej

    Wheelwright

  • Kołodziejczyk

    Son of the wheelwright

  • Konieczny

    Necessary, or living at the end

  • Konopka

    Hemp, or linnet bird

  • Kopeć

    Soot, smoke

  • Korzeniowski

    From a place named Korzeniów, root

  • Kos

    Blackbird

  • Kościuszko

    Diminutive of Konstanty

  • Kot

    Cat

  • Kowal

    Smith

  • Kowalczyk

    Son of the smith

  • Kowalewski

    From a place named Kowalewo, smith

  • Kowalik

    Little smith, or nuthatch bird

  • Kowalski

    Smith, from kowal

  • Kozak

    Cossack

  • Kozioł

    Billy goat

  • Kozłowski

    From a place named Kozłów, goat

  • Krajewski

    From a place named Krajewo, border

  • Krawczyk

    Son of the tailor

  • Krawiec

    Tailor

  • Król

    King

  • Kruk

    Raven

  • Krupa

    Groats, barley grain

  • Krzemiński

    From a place named Krzemień, flint

  • Krzyżanowski

    From a place named Krzyżanów, cross

  • Kubiak

    Son of Kuba, Jacob

  • Kubicki

    From a place named Kubice, Jacob

  • Kubik

    Little Jakub

  • Kucharski

    Cook, from kucharz

  • Kulesza

    Thick porridge, noble clan

  • Kulik

    Curlew, sandpiper

  • Kurek

    Little rooster

  • Kwaśniewski

    From a place named Kwaśniewo, sour

  • Kwiatkowski

    From a place named Kwiatków, flower

  • Kwiecień

    April, born in April

L

  • Lasek

    Small forest

  • Laskowski

    From a place named Laskowo, from lasek, grove

  • Lech

    From the personal name Lech, of the legendary founder of Poland

  • Lenart

    From Leonard

  • Leszczyński

    From a place named Leszno, hazel

  • Lewandowski

    From a place named Lewandów

  • Lipiński

    From a place named Lipno, linden tree

  • Lipka

    Little linden tree

  • Lis

    Fox

  • Lisowski

    From a place named Lisów, fox

  • Łoś

    Elk, moose

  • Lubomirski

    Princely family from Lubomierz

  • Łuczak

    Son of Łukasz

  • Łukasik

    Son of Łukasz

M

  • Maciejewski

    Son of Maciej, or from Maciejów

  • Maj

    May

  • Majewski

    From a place named Majewo, May

  • Makowski

    From a place named Maków, poppy

  • Malec

    Little one, youngster

  • Małecki

    From a place named Małe, small

  • Malinowski

    From a place named Malinowo, raspberry

  • Marciniak

    Son of Marcin

  • Marczak

    Son of Marek

  • Marek

    Mark

  • Markowski

    From a place named Marków

  • Matusiak

    Son of Matus, Matthew

  • Matuszewski

    From a place named Matuszewo, Matthew

  • Mazur

    Person from Masovia

  • Mazurek

    Little Masovian

  • Michalak

    Son of Michał

  • Michalski

    Son of Michał

  • Mickiewicz

    Son of Micek, Nicholas

  • Mikołajczyk

    Son of Mikołaj, Nicholas

  • Milewski

    From a place named Milewo

  • Młynarz

    Miller

  • Morawski

    Moravian, from Moravia

  • Motyka

    Hoe

  • Mróz

    Frost

  • Mucha

    Fly, small restless person

  • Musiał

    Nickname from musiał, he had to

N

  • Nawrocki

    Possibly from nawrót, return, or from a place name

  • Niedźwiecki

    From a place named Niedźwiedź, bear

  • Niemiec

    German

  • Niewiadomski

    Unknown, of unknown origin

  • Nowacki

    From a place named Nowaki, new

  • Nowak

    New man, newcomer

  • Nowakowski

    From a place named Nowaki

  • Nowicki

    From a place named Nowice

O

  • Olejnik

    Oil presser

  • Olszewski

    From a place named Olszewo, alder

  • Orłowski

    From a place named Orłów, eagle

  • Orzechowski

    From a place named Orzechowo, walnut

  • Osiński

    From a place named Osiny, aspen

  • Ostrowski

    From a place named Ostrów, island

  • Owczarek

    Little shepherd

  • Ożóg

    Poker, fire iron

P

  • Paderewski

    From a place named Paderewo

  • Pająk

    Spider

  • Panek

    Little lord, petty noble

  • Pasternak

    Parsnip

  • Pawlak

    Son of Paweł

  • Pawlik

    Little Paweł

  • Pawłowski

    Son of Paweł, or from Pawłów

  • Piekarz

    Baker

  • Pieniążek

    Small coin

  • Pietrzak

    Son of Piotr

  • Pietrzyk

    Little Piotr

  • Pilarski

    Sawyer, from piła, saw

  • Pilch

    Dormouse

  • Piotrowski

    Son of Piotr, or from Piotrów

  • Pluta

    Rainy sleety weather

  • Polak

    Pole, Polish person

  • Poniatowski

    Royal family from Poniatowa

  • Popławski

    From a place named Popławy, meadow

  • Potocki

    From a place named Potok, stream

  • Prus

    Prussian

  • Przybylski

    From a place named Przybyły, newcomer

  • Ptak

    Bird

R

  • Radomski

    From the city of Radom

  • Radziwiłł

    Lithuanian noble house, of uncertain meaning

  • Rak

    Crayfish

  • Ratajczak

    Son of the rataj, a ploughman or peasant farmer

  • Rogowski

    From a place named Rogów, horn

  • Romanowski

    From a place named Romanowo

  • Rudnicki

    From a place named Rudnik, ore mine

  • Rusin

    Ruthenian, East Slav

  • Rutkowski

    From a place named Rutki

  • Rybak

    Fisherman

  • Rzepka

    Little turnip

S

  • Sadowski

    From a place named Sadowo, orchard

  • Sapieha

    Lithuanian princely house

  • Sawicki

    From a place named Sawice

  • Serafin

    Seraph, from the given name

  • Sienkiewicz

    Son of Sieńko, Simon

  • Sikora

    Titmouse bird

  • Sikorski

    From a place named Sikory, titmouse

  • Skiba

    Furrow, slice of bread

  • Skóra

    Leather, hide

  • Skowronek

    Skylark

  • Słowik

    Nightingale

  • Sobczak

    Son of Sobek, a short form of Sobiesław

  • Sobczyk

    Son of Sobek, a short form of Sobiesław

  • Sobieski

    Royal family from Sobieszyn

  • Sobolewski

    From a place named Sobolewo, sable

  • Sokół

    Falcon

  • Sokołowski

    From a place named Sokołów, falcon

  • Sowa

    Owl

  • Sowiński

    From a place named Sowina, owl

  • Sroka

    Magpie

  • Stachowiak

    Son of Stach, Stanisław

  • Stankiewicz

    Son of Stanko, Stanisław

  • Stasiak

    Son of Staś, Stanisław

  • Stępień

    Of uncertain origin, possibly from stępa, a pounding mortar

  • Stolarz

    Joiner, cabinetmaker

  • Strzelecki

    From a place named Strzelce, marksman

  • Świątek

    Little holiday, born on a feast day

  • Szczepański

    Son of Szczepan, Stephen

  • Szczygieł

    Goldfinch

  • Szeląg

    Shilling coin

  • Szewczyk

    Son of the shoemaker

  • Szulc

    Village headman, from German Schulz

  • Szwed

    Swede

  • Szydło

    Awl, cobbler's tool

  • Szymański

    From Szymon, Simon

  • Szymczak

    Son of Szymon, Simon

T

  • Tarnowski

    From a place named Tarnów, blackthorn

  • Tomaszewski

    From a place named Tomaszew

  • Tomczak

    Son of Tomasz

  • Turek

    Turk

U

  • Urbański

    Son of Urban

W

  • Walczak

    Son of Walenty

  • Wasilewski

    Son of Wasyl, Basil

  • Wawrzyniak

    Son of Wawrzyniec, Laurence

  • Wesołowski

    From a place named Wesołowo, cheerful

  • Wieczorek

    Little evening, evening child

  • Wierzbicki

    From a place named Wierzbica, willow

  • Wilczyński

    From a place named Wilczyn, wolf

  • Wilk

    Wolf

  • Winiarski

    Wine maker, wine seller

  • Wiśniewski

    From a place named Wiśniewo, cherry

  • Witkowski

    From a place named Witków

  • Włodarczyk

    Son of the steward

  • Wojciechowski

    Son of Wojciech

  • Wójcik

    Diminutive of wójt, village headman, or of Wojciech

  • Wojtkowiak

    Son of Wojtek, Wojciech

  • Wolski

    From a place named Wola, free village

  • Woźniak

    Carter, coachman

  • Wróbel

    Sparrow

  • Wróblewski

    From a place named Wróblewo, sparrow

  • Wysocki

    From a place named Wysokie, high

Z

  • Zając

    Hare

  • Zajączkowski

    From a place named Zajączki, hare

  • Żak

    Student, young scholar

  • Zalewski

    From a place named Zalewo, flooded land

  • Zaremba

    Notch, hewn mark, noble clan

  • Zawadzki

    From a place named Zawada, obstacle

  • Zięba

    Chaffinch

  • Zieliński

    Green, from zielony

  • Ziółkowski

    From a place named Ziółków, herb

  • Żukowski

    From a place named Żukowo, beetle

  • Żurawski

    From a place named Żurawie, crane

Generate random polish surnames

Filter by first letter, length and rarity, add a first name to preview the full name, then copy or save your favorites.

Results (6)

  • Kucharski

    Cook, from kucharz

  • Wilk

    Wolf

  • Lubomirski

    Princely family from Lubomierz

  • Prus

    Prussian

  • Kaczmarczyk

    Son of the innkeeper

  • Maciejewski

    Son of Maciej, or from Maciejów

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    How Polish last names are built

    Polish surnames are easiest to understand by their endings. The famous -ski and -cki forms are adjectives, usually meaning of or from a place, so Dąbrowski points to a village called Dąbrowa (oak grove) and Kamiński to a place named after stone. They began among the nobility, who took names from their estates, but from the sixteenth century onward townspeople and peasants adopted them too, and today they are the most widespread type in Poland.

    Other endings tell different stories. Names in -wicz and -owicz, such as Mickiewicz or Jankowicz, mean son of and are more frequent in eastern Poland and among families from Lithuania and Belarus. Endings like -ak, -czyk and -ek often mark a son or a smaller version of something: Kowalczyk is the son of a smith, and Wójcik the son of the village head. Many plain nouns became surnames too, such as Nowak (the new man), Mazur (a person from Masovia) and Wróbel (sparrow).

    The most common Polish last names

    Nowak is the most common surname in Poland, followed by Kowalski, Wiśniewski, Wójcik, Kowalczyk, Kamiński, Lewandowski, Zieliński, Szymański and Woźniak. Kowalski, from kowal (smith), is so ordinary that Poles use it the way English speakers use John Smith. Wiśniewski comes from wiśnia, cherry, through a place name, and Woźniak is linked to woźny, a court official, or woźnica, a coachman. The list above gives these and hundreds of rarer names with meanings.

    Gender matters in Polish. Surnames ending in -ski, -cki and -dzki change to -ska, -cka and -dzka for women, so Jan Kowalski's wife and daughter are Kowalska. Names that are nouns, like Nowak or Wróbel, stay the same for both. Older forms such as Nowakowa for a wife and Nowakówna for a daughter are now rare. Outside Poland most families use the masculine form for everyone, which is why American women are usually called Kowalski.

    How common Polish last names changed in America

    Well over a million Poles emigrated to the United States between the 1870s and the First World War, many to Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, Milwaukee and the coal and steel towns of Pennsylvania. Ellis Island inspectors worked from ship manifests written in Europe, so they rarely changed anyone's name at the island. Changes came later, when immigrants or their children simplified a name for work or school, or when they applied for citizenship.

    The most common change was dropping Polish letters, so Wiśniewski became Wisniewski and Żak became Zak. Some families shortened a long name, turning Szczepański into Shepanski or Shepard, and a few translated it outright, as when Kowalski became Smith. If you are researching a Polish ancestor, search for spelling variants and for German or Russian forms too, since Poland was partitioned between Prussia, Russia and Austria when most emigrants left.

    Frequently asked questions

    Why do so many Polish last names end in -ski?

    The -ski ending turns a place or thing into an adjective, roughly meaning of or from. Nobles first used it for their estates, and it spread to all classes because it sounded dignified. Many peasants who took surnames in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries chose -ski forms based on the names of their villages.

    Which common Polish last names suit a modern character?

    For an everyday Polish character, Nowak, Kowalski, Wiśniewski, Wójcik and Kowalczyk are realistic and instantly recognisable to Polish readers. For something less expected, try names from nature or trades, such as Wróbel, Kaczmarek (innkeeper), Sikora (a small bird, the tit) or Mazur. Remember to use the feminine -ska form for women living in Poland.

    How do you pronounce Polish letters in names?

    A few rules help a lot. W sounds like v, so Wójcik is VOO-cheek. Sz is sh, cz is ch, and rz or ż sound like the s in measure. Ł sounds like English w, which makes Michał sound like MEE-how. Ą and ę are nasal vowels, and stress almost always falls on the second to last syllable.

    Were Polish names changed at Ellis Island?

    Almost never at the island itself. Inspectors checked names against passenger lists compiled at the port of departure. Most changes happened later and by choice, when immigrants anglicised their names at work, in school or during naturalisation. That is why one family can appear with a Polish spelling on the manifest and an American one in the 1920 census.

    More last name lists