171 Common Polish Last Names and Their Meanings

Polish last names can share so much about a family’s history. Each surname offers clues about where families lived, what jobs they did, or their unique traits.

These names might seem hard to pronounce at first, but they follow simple patterns.

This guide contains 171 common Polish surnames and their meanings.

I explain what each name means and help you say it correctly. It’s perfect for anyone researching their family history or wanting to understand more about Polish culture.

Let’s explore the most common Polish last names that inspire you!

List of Polish Last Names and Their Meanings

Occupational Surnames

1. Kowalski

• Meaning: Son of the blacksmith
• Origin: Derived from “kowal,” meaning blacksmith.

2. Nowak

• Meaning: New man or settler
• Origin: Refers to someone who was a newcomer or settler in a town.

3. Wiśniewski

• Meaning: From the village of Wiśnia (cherry)
• Origin: Refers to someone who lived near a cherry tree or orchard.

4. Zieliński

• Meaning: Green
• Origin: Refers to a person with green-colored clothing or a person living near greenery.

5. Lewandowski

• Meaning: From the town of Lewandów
• Origin: Derived from a place name.

6. Kamiński

• Meaning: From the village of Kamień (stone)
• Origin: Refers to someone from a village named Kamień.

7. Szymański

• Meaning: Derived from the personal name Szymon (Simon)
• Origin: A patronymic surname indicating descent from a man named Szymon.

8. Jankowski

• Meaning: Son of Jan (John)
• Origin: A patronymic surname derived from the first name Jan.

9. Kowal

• Meaning: Blacksmith
• Origin: Refers to the profession of blacksmithing.

10. Rybak

• Meaning: Fisherman
• Origin: Refers to someone who worked as a fisherman.

11. Tkacz

• Meaning: Weaver
• Origin: Derived from the occupation of weaving.

12. Piekarski

• Meaning: Baker
• Origin: Derived from the occupation of baking.

13. Stolarz

• Meaning: Carpenter
• Origin: Refers to someone who worked as a carpenter.

14. Młynarski

• Meaning: Miller
• Origin: Refers to someone who worked at a mill.

15. Sobolewski

• Meaning: From the village of Sobolew
• Origin: Refers to someone from the place called Sobolew.

16. Kowalczyk

• Meaning: Little blacksmith
• Origin: A diminutive form of “kowal,” meaning blacksmith.

17. Rybka

• Meaning: Little fish
• Origin: A diminutive form of “rybak,” meaning fisherman.

18. Tkaczyk

• Meaning: Little weaver
• Origin: A diminutive form of “tkacz,” meaning weaver.

19. Piekarczyk

• Meaning: Little baker
• Origin: A diminutive form of “piekarz,” meaning baker.

20. Młynarczyk

• Meaning: Little miller
• Origin: A diminutive form of “młynarz,” meaning miller.

Geographical Surnames

21. Wrocławski

• Meaning: From Wrocław
• Origin: Derived from the city of Wrocław.

22. Warszawski

• Meaning: From Warsaw
• Origin: Derived from the city of Warsaw.

23. Lubelski

• Meaning: From Lublin
• Origin: Derived from the city of Lublin.

24. Gdański

• Meaning: From Gdańsk
• Origin: Derived from the city of Gdańsk.

25. Krakowski

• Meaning: From Kraków
• Origin: Derived from the city of Kraków.

26. Śląski

• Meaning: From Silesia
• Origin: Refers to someone from the historical region of Silesia.

27. Radziwiłł

• Meaning: From the Radziwiłł family
• Origin: A noble surname derived from the Radziwiłł family name.

28. Zamoyski

• Meaning: From Zamoyszcza (a region or area)
• Origin: Derived from the region or area named Zamoyszcza.

29. Czartoryski

• Meaning: From the Czartoryski family
• Origin: A noble surname derived from the Czartoryski family name.

30. Potocki

• Meaning: From the Potocki family
• Origin: Derived from the noble Potocki family.

Descriptive/Characteristic Surnames

31. Król

• Meaning: King
• Origin: Refers to someone of regal or noble stature.

32. Słowik

• Meaning: Nightingale
• Origin: Refers to a person with a beautiful voice or someone living near a nightingale.

33. Wilk

• Meaning: Wolf
• Origin: Refers to someone with wolf-like traits, or perhaps a hunter.

34. Lis

• Meaning: Fox
• Origin: Refers to someone with fox-like traits, or a clever individual.

35. Górski

• Meaning: Mountain dweller
• Origin: Refers to someone living in the mountains or a mountain worker.

36. Biały

• Meaning: White
• Origin: Refers to someone with pale skin or light hair.

37. Malinowski

• Meaning: From the raspberry bush
• Origin: Derived from “malina,” meaning raspberry.

38. Ławniczak

• Meaning: From a place associated with a bench (ławka)
• Origin: Refers to someone from a place known for its benches or public seats.

39. Żuraw

• Meaning: Crane (the bird)
• Origin: Refers to someone associated with the crane bird or a place named after the crane.

40. Czarnecki

• Meaning: Dark or black
• Origin: Refers to someone with dark features or a dark complexion.

Patronymic Surnames

41. Dąbrowski

• Meaning: From a place near an oak tree
• Origin: Derived from “dąb,” meaning oak.

42. Pawlak

• Meaning: Derived from the name Pawło or Paweł (Paul)
• Origin: A patronymic surname indicating descent from a person named Paweł.

43. Czarnecki

• Meaning: Dark or black
• Origin: Refers to someone with dark features or a dark complexion.

44. Biały

• Meaning: White
• Origin: Refers to someone with pale skin or light hair.

45. Malinowski

• Meaning: From the raspberry bush
• Origin: Derived from “malina,” meaning raspberry.

Based on Profession

46. Młynarski

• Meaning: Miller
• Origin: Refers to someone who worked at a mill.

47. Stolarz

• Meaning: Carpenter
• Origin: Refers to someone who worked as a carpenter.

48. Piekarski

• Meaning: Baker
• Origin: Derived from the occupation of baking.

49. Tkacz

• Meaning: Weaver
• Origin: Derived from the occupation of weaving.

50. Kowalczyk

• Meaning: Little blacksmith
• Origin: A diminutive form of “kowal,” meaning blacksmith.

51. Rybka

• Meaning: Little fish
• Origin: A diminutive form of “rybak,” meaning fisherman.

52. Młynarczyk

• Meaning: Little miller
• Origin: A diminutive form of “młynarz,” meaning miller.

53. Ślusarczyk

• Meaning: Little locksmith
• Origin: A diminutive form of “ślusarz,” meaning locksmith.

54. Krawczyk

• Meaning: Tailor
• Origin: Refers to someone who worked as a

56. Woźniak

• Meaning: Coachman
• Origin: Refers to someone who worked as a coachman or cart driver.

57. Górka

• Meaning: Hill
• Origin: Refers to someone who lived near or on a hill.

58. Wójcik

• Meaning: Small warrior
• Origin: Refers to a lesser or small soldier, or someone from a warrior family.

59. Stefaniak

• Meaning: From the name Stefan (Stephen)
• Origin: A patronymic surname derived from the first name Stefan.

60. Ławniczak

• Meaning: Benchman
• Origin: Refers to someone who served on a bench (law court or public seat).

61. Chmielewski

• Meaning: From the hop field
• Origin: Refers to someone who lived near or worked with hop cultivation.

62. Matusiak

• Meaning: Son of Matusz (Matthew)
• Origin: A patronymic surname derived from the first name Matusz.

63. Błaszczyk

• Meaning: Little blaze
• Origin: Derived from “blask,” meaning brightness or blaze.

64. Cieślak

• Meaning: Carpenter
• Origin: Refers to someone who worked as a carpenter.

65. Dziedzic

• Meaning: Heir
• Origin: Refers to someone who inherited property or land.

66. Piasecki

• Meaning: From the sand
• Origin: Refers to someone who lived near sandy areas or a sandy hill.

67. Szewczyk

• Meaning: Shoemaker
• Origin: Refers to someone who worked as a shoemaker.

68. Zakrzewski

• Meaning: From the place of willows
• Origin: Derived from “zakrzew,” meaning willow.

69. Jagoda

• Meaning: Berry
• Origin: Refers to a person who lived near a berry bush or worked with berries.

70. Pawłowski

• Meaning: Son of Paweł (Paul)
• Origin: A patronymic surname derived from the first name Paweł.

71. Gałka

• Meaning: Small ball
• Origin: Refers to someone with round or spherical features or an occupation linked to round objects.

72. Borowski

• Meaning: From the forest
• Origin: Refers to someone who lived near or in the forest.

73. Wrocławski

• Meaning: From Wrocław
• Origin: Derived from the city of Wrocław.

74. Zawisza

• Meaning: From Zawisza
• Origin: Refers to someone from the town of Zawisza.

75. Podgórski

• Meaning: From below the mountain
• Origin: Refers to someone who lived below a mountain.

76. Wysocki

• Meaning: From a high place
• Origin: Refers to someone who lived on a high hill or elevated ground.

Others Names

77. Mikołajczyk

Meaning: Son of Mikołaj (Nicholas)
Origin: A patronymic surname derived from the name Mikołaj.

78. Kruk

Meaning: Crow
Origin: Refers to someone with crow-like features or a person associated with crows.

79. Zawisza

Meaning: From Zawisza
Origin: Refers to someone from the town of Zawisza.

80. Domański

Meaning: From the house
Origin: Refers to someone who lived at or near a house.

81. Żuraw

Meaning: Crane (bird)
Origin: Refers to someone associated with the crane bird or a place named after the crane.

82. Woźniak

Meaning: Coachman
Origin: Refers to someone who worked as a coachman or cart driver.

83. Strzelecki

Meaning: From the shooting range
Origin: Refers to someone who worked with firearms or lived near a shooting range.

84. Baran

Meaning: Ram
Origin: Refers to someone with ram-like qualities or characteristics.

85. Fiedorowicz

Meaning: Son of Fiedor (Fedor)
Origin: A patronymic surname derived from the first name Fiedor.

86. Sienkiewicz

Meaning: Son of Sienkiew (a variant of the name “Sienko”)
Origin: A patronymic surname derived from a nickname or variation of the first name.

87. Zientek

Meaning: Little “zient” (a nickname for a person)
Origin: Refers to a diminutive form of the name “Zientek.”

88. Krzyżanowski

Meaning: From the cross
Origin: Refers to a person associated with a cross or a place named after a cross.

89. Polak

Meaning: Pole (a person from Poland)
Origin: Refers to a person from Poland.

90. Pawlik

Meaning: Little Paul
Origin: A diminutive form of the name Paweł (Paul).

91. Kaczmarek

Meaning: Innkeeper
Origin: Refers to a person who owned or worked in an inn.

92. Kowalski

Meaning: Son of the blacksmith
Origin: Derived from the word “kowal,” meaning blacksmith.

93. Pasternack

Meaning: From a meadow
Origin: Refers to someone who lived near or worked in a meadow.

94. Jankowski

Meaning: Son of Jan (John)
Origin: A patronymic surname derived from the first name Jan.

95. Borowiak

Meaning: From the forest
Origin: Refers to someone who lived near or in the forest.

96. Piotrkowski

Meaning: From Piotrków
Origin: Derived from the city of Piotrków.

97. Grzelak

Meaning: One who grills
Origin: Refers to someone involved in grilling food or a similar profession.

98. Twardowski

Meaning: Strong
Origin: Refers to someone with strong physical traits or someone who is robust.

99. Rogowski

Meaning: From a place of horns or a horned man
Origin: Refers to someone living near a place named after horns, or a person with horn-like features.

100. Nowakowski

Meaning: From a new settlement
Origin: Derived from “Nowak,” meaning new man or settler.

101. Gajda

Meaning: Forester
Origin: Refers to someone who worked in or was associated with a forest.

102. Wiśniewski

Meaning: From the village of Wiśnia (cherry)
Origin: Refers to someone who lived near a cherry tree or orchard.

103. Kowalczyk

Meaning: Little blacksmith
Origin: A diminutive form of “kowal,” meaning blacksmith.

104. Słomka

Meaning: Straw
Origin: Refers to someone who worked with straw or lived near straw.

105. Wójtowicz

Meaning: Son of the village headman
Origin: A patronymic surname derived from “wójt,” meaning village headman.

106. Kuśnierz

Meaning: Furrier
Origin: Refers to someone who worked in the fur trade.

107. Karczmarz

Meaning: Innkeeper
Origin: Refers to a person who owned or worked in an inn.

108. Zientek

Meaning: Little Zientek
Origin: A diminutive form of the name Zientek.

109. Ławniczak

Meaning: Benchman
Origin: Refers to someone who served on a bench (law court or public seat).

110. Wysocki

Meaning: From a high place
Origin: Refers to someone who lived on a high hill or elevated ground.

111. Krawczyk

Meaning: Tailor
Origin: Refers to someone who worked as a tailor.

112. Górski

Meaning: Mountain dweller
Origin: Refers to someone living in the mountains or a mountain worker.

113. Matusiak

Meaning: Son of Matusz (Matthew)
Origin: A patronymic surname derived from the first name Matusz.

114. Szymański

Meaning: Derived from the personal name Szymon (Simon)
Origin: A patronymic surname indicating descent from a man named Szymon.

115. Kowalewski

Meaning: From the blacksmith
Origin: Derived from “kowal,” meaning blacksmith.

116. Milczanowski

Meaning: Silent
Origin: Refers to a person known for being silent or reserved.

117. Ławniczak

Meaning: Benchman
Origin: Refers to someone who served on a bench (law court or public seat).

118. Janicki

Meaning: Son of Jan (John)
Origin: A patronymic surname derived from the first name Jan.

119. Pawlak

Meaning: Derived from the name Pawło or Paweł (Paul)
Origin: A patronymic surname indicating descent from a person named Paweł.

120. Stolarz

Meaning: Carpenter
Origin: Refers to someone who worked as a carpenter.

121. Żuraw

Meaning: Crane
Origin: Refers to a person associated with the crane bird or a place named after the crane.

122. Gajewski

Meaning: From the grove or forest
Origin: Derived from “gaj,” meaning grove or small forest.

123. Lisowski

Meaning: From the fox
Origin: Refers to someone with fox-like traits or a clever individual.

124. Krukowski

Meaning: From the crow
Origin: Refers to someone with crow-like features or associated with crows.

125. Biały

Meaning: White
Origin: Refers to someone with pale skin or light hair.

126. Wójcik

Meaning: Small warrior
Origin: Refers to a lesser or small soldier, or someone from a warrior family.

127. Baranowski

Meaning: From the ram
Origin: Refers to a person with ram-like qualities or characteristics.

128. Mikołajczyk

Meaning: Son of Mikołaj (Nicholas)
Origin: A patronymic surname derived from the name Mikołaj.

129. Lewandowski

Meaning: From the town of Lewandów
Origin: Derived from a place name.

130. Wiśniewski

Meaning: From the village of Wiśnia (cherry)
Origin: Refers to someone who lived near a cherry tree or orchard.

131. Rybak

Meaning: Fisherman
Origin: Refers to someone who worked as a fisherman.

132. Cieślak

Meaning: Carpenter
Origin: Refers to someone who worked as a carpenter.

133. Słowik

Meaning: Nightingale
Origin: Refers to a person with a beautiful voice or someone living near a nightingale.

134. Zieliński

Meaning: Green
Origin: Refers to a person with green-colored clothing or a person living near greenery.

135. Ślusarczyk

Meaning: Little locksmith
Origin: A diminutive form of “ślusarz,” meaning locksmith.

136. Twardowski

Meaning: Strong
Origin: Refers to someone with strong physical traits or someone who is robust.

137. Król

Meaning: King
Origin: Refers to someone of regal or noble stature.

138. Dziedzic

Meaning: Heir
Origin: Refers to someone who inherited property or land.

139. Nowak

Meaning: New man or settler
Origin: Refers to someone who was a newcomer or settler in a town.

140. Ławniczak

Meaning: From a place associated with a bench (ławka)
Origin: Refers to someone from a place known for its benches or public seats.