The list of the most popular surnames in Poland is as constant as the northern star. You might not know this, but the government portal keeps a running tally of the surnames sported by the Polish populace. No jaw-dropping revelations here, but it gives you a neat chance to see just how widespread your surname is and exactly how many of your countrymen share it.
Now, here’s a fun fact. Did you know that the most common surname in Poland is also the top pick in the Czech Republic and Slovenia? I think that’s pretty fascinating. Usually, everyone’s eyes are glued to the chart of most favored baby names in the country. And why not? After all, the most popular names’ list gets a makeover every six months.
Most Popular Polish Last Name
Let me say, if you’ve ever been to Poland or know a little about it, you’d know that the surname Nowak is quite a hit. Yup, you heard it right. „Nowak” is the most common surname you’d come across in Poland. A few years back, we had over 204,000 „Nowak” running around, both gents and ladies. But guess what? Today, their population has slightly decreased, standing at about 201.3 thousand. Still, they’re holding on to that top spot tightly.
Right after the „Nowak”, we have the „Kowalski” standing proudly at second place. Their numbers, too, saw a dip from 138.4 thousand to 136.4 thousand. Still a big number, huh? And not far behind, you’ll find the „Wiśniewski”, rounding off the top three with a decline from 110,000 to 108.8 thousand.
↳ PRO TIP: Do you like traveling? Then before you buy any ticket or book an attraction, check if it's available in this worldwide Viator Database. You may save a lot of money and time. No need to thank me :)
I can tell you that over the past three years, there’s been a tiny decrease of just over 1% in the population of these popular surnames. But hey, it’s not all decline. The „Mazur” surname has been witnessing an upward swing. Their number jumped from 68.1 thousand to 69.7 thousand in the same period. Because of this, they passed the „Jankowski” in the race and climbed to the 13th place in the popularity charts. I think it’s worth mentioning that the Mazurs are now among the top players when it comes to surname popularity in Poland.
The List of Most Common Last Name in Poland 2023
| Most Popular Polish Last Name | Number |
|---|---|
| NOWAK | 201,315 |
| KOWALSKA (f), KOWALSKI (m) | 136,418 |
| WIŚNIEWSKA (f) , WIŚNIEWSKI (m) | 108,824 |
| WÓJCIK | 97,735 |
| KOWALCZYK | 96,421 |
| KAMIŃSKA (f) , KAMIŃSKI (m) | 93,807 |
| LEWANDOWSKA (f), LEWANDOWSKI (m) | 92,045 |
| ZIELIŃSKA (f), ZIELIŃSKI (m) | 89,688 |
| SZYMAŃSKA (f), SZYMAŃSKI (m) | 87,264 |
| WOŹNIAK | 86,765 |
| DĄBROWSKA (f), DĄBROWSKI (m) | 86,139 |
| KOZŁOWSKA (f), KOZŁOWSKI (m) | 74,326 |
| MAZUR | 69,698 |
| JANKOWSKA (f), JANKOWSKI (m) | 68,041 |
| KWIATKOWSKA (f) | 65,853 |
| WOJCIECHOWSKA (f), WOJCIECHOWSKI (m) | 65,103 |
| KRAWCZYK | 62,543 |
| KACZMAREK | 60,890 |
| PIOTROWSKA (f), PIOTROWSKI (m) | 60,352 |
| GRABOWSKA (f), GRABOWSKI (m) | 57,712 |
| ZAJĄC | 54,235 |
| KRÓL | 53,990 |
Rising Stars – Eastern Surnames in Poland
Do you want more titbits to feed your curiosity? I’ve got something that will pique your interest. Here’s a surprise – a bunch of surnames has become twice or even thrice as common. These newcomers are mainly from the east of our borders.
Take the surname Melnyk, for instance. In 2020, there were only about 3.4 thousand Melnyks in the PESEL register. But now, their clan has exploded to almost 11.2 thousand. This amazing jump lands them among the top 400 most popular surnames in Poland. They’re even rubbing shoulders with the „Kaczyński„, who sit a notch higher.
Let’s not forget the „Kovalchuks„. Their numbers have seen a striking leap. They started with just over 2,000, but today their ranks have swelled to almost four times that number. The „Shevchenkos„, too, kept pace. From 1.8 thousand, they’ve shot up to 7.7 thousand.
But wait, there’s more. The top 50 surnames with an eastern ring to them had around 50,000 representatives in PESEL three years ago. Now, there are over 3.5 times more people wearing those same surnames. Talk about a major leap! So, next time you’re walking the streets of Poland, don’t be surprised if you hear a few unfamiliar, eastern-sounding surnames.
So, if you’re packing your bags for a visit to Poland, I can tell you this – you might run into a Nowak, a Kowalski, or even a Melnyk.
Picking Your Child’s Surname
When you’re at the Registry Office, holding your bundle of joy, you’re tasked with not only choosing a dreamy first name for your child but also the surname. Usually, the child takes up the father’s surname, but the mother’s surname or a blend of both can also be an option.
But here’s the deal. Just like picking out the perfect first name, you should give some thought to how it pairs with the surname. Trust me, you don’t want a name that trips people up or gets your child teased.
Now, if you’re thinking, „What if I want to change my child’s surname in Poland?” Well, I can tell you that it’s posible, but you need a solid reason that will convince the court. This could be because of parental rights restriction, death, or even divorce. But remember, there must always be valid consent to change the name of a minor. So, think wisely, and choose a surname that your child will wear proudly.
The Story Behind Names in Poland
Once upon a time, people only had first names. But as you can guess, that pool of names wasn’t botomless. So, to tell one „Tomasz” from another, additional tags popped up – something like nicknames or pet names. And guess what? These tags were cooked up using a few key recipes. Let’s check them out.
- Personality traits. For instance, a tall person (wysoki)might be dubbed Wysocki.
- The father’s name or a beloved saint’s name. So, someone could be Wojciechowski (from Wojciech) or Pawłowski (from Paweł).
- Occupations played a role too. Like a blacksmith (Kowal) turned Kowalski and a tailor (Krawiec)turned Krawczyk.
- Even the place of origin got in on the action. For example, Mazur would mean someone hailing from Masuria, and Nowak hinted at a newbie (Nowy) in the area.
Fast forward to today, and it’s not always a piece of cake to trace the roots of a surname. Over the years, they’ve morphed and evolved, making the job tricky. But don’t fret. There are specialized sources like the book „Nazwiska Polaków” by Kazimierz Rymut or the website genesisnazwisk.pl that can throw some light on this.
So next time you meet a Wysocki or a Kowalski, remember, there’s a story hiding behind that name. And who knows? It might just be a story worth telling!
References:
- https://dane.gov.pl/pl/dataset/568,nazwiska-wystepujace-w-rejestrze-pesel
