Surname Zawacki - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'Z'
Zawacki: What does the surname Zawacki mean?
The last name Zawacki is of Polish origin and was used as a status name for a village or a rural area. This name derived from the words "zawa", which means near or next to, and "cki", which is a patronymic suffix, indicating a person who is related to a person with the name Zawa.
The Zawacki surname is derived from a place-name, so it indicates that a person, or family of people who were originally from the area or village of Zawa. The family history would have likely be identified with the various places where the Zawacki surname lived in the past.
The Zawacki family history is believed to span over two centuries. The oldest known Zawacki family ancestor was Stanislaus Zawacki, who resided in the village of Zarzyn in the Powiat of Sieradz in the late 1700s. After this family settled in Poland, others began to emigrate throughout Europe, particularly to Eastern Europe, especially during the 19th century.
Today, there are descendants of the Zawacki family located around the world, particularly in Poland, the United States and Canada, as well as some parts of the UK, Germany, and Australia.
Overall, the Zawacki surname has its roots in the Polish language and has become a very common surname in many parts of the world. It serves as an indicator of the family history of the Zawacki family and their connection to their ancestors who resided in the Polish village of Zawa.
Order DNA origin analysisZawacki: Where does the name Zawacki come from?
The last name Zawacki is primarily found in the countries of Poland and the United States. The surname is most noted in Poland, where it can be traced back to the 14th century and is thought to have origins near the city of Przemysl, in modern-day Poland. The area was under the control of various kings and dukes from the times of Mieszko I to Bolesław III the Great.
In the United States, the surname Zawacki is relatively new, as it was first recorded when immigrants began arriving from Poland in the 1700s and 1800s. The highest concentration of Zawacki’s in the US is still within the Midwest and East Coast states, particularly in Michigan and Pennsylvania where many Polish immigrants turned to the coal and steel mines in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Today, the last name Zawacki is very common in Poland, with approximately 32,000 people bearing the name out of roughly 13 million Zawacki's worldwide. The surname is fairly rare in the United States, with an estimated 1,000 people bearing the name, though as mentioned earlier, it is more prevalent in certain states along the East Coast and Midwest.
Variations of the surname Zawacki
The surname Zawacki is a Polish patronymic surname derived from the Slavic personal name Zawad or Zawada, both of which mean "gift". The variants of Zawacki are pronounced in many different ways, including Zovacki and Zavacki, and its surname variants are Zawacielski, Zowaczki, Zovaczki, and Zawatariski.
Spellings of the Zawacki surname can include Zawatzky, Zawatsky, Zavaczky, and Zowacski. The surname can also be seen as Zawocki, Zawoski, and Zawoweczki with versions of these spellings being seen in some families. Many of the spellings and variants of the Zawacki surname have been altered over time, especially with the immigration of members of the Zawacki family to various countries.
In the United States, the Zawacki name is mostly seen spelled as Zawacki. In Germany and other German-speaking countries, the surname may be seen spelled as Zawatzky, while in Poland the common spelling is Zawaczki. The surname Zawackowski is sometimes seen in Poland as well. In Canada, the name is often seen as Zawatsky or Zabacki.
In Latin America, Zawacki is still often seen spelled as Zabacki with multiple variant spellings. There are also surnames related to Zawacki such as Czaban, Czabanski, Czabanow, and Zurawka. Other similar surnames include Sabatka, Pawlak, Wojcicki, and Zaborski.
The Zawacki surname can be many different spellings and variant forms, with almost every family having their own unique variation. Regardless of the spelling, all of these variations still share the same origin.
Famous people with the name Zawacki
- Vince Zawacki: an American philosopher specializing in the fields of interdisciplinary abstract and process philosophy.
- Alexi Zawacki: a professional ice hockey player who currently serves as a community ambassador with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
- Jill Zwack: a Hollywood actress best known for her role in the sitcom 'Laugh-In'.
- Joe Zawacki: a professional football player, playing in both U.S. and Canadian leagues.
- Colleen Zawacki: an American author of children’s books and short stories.
- John Zawacki: a retired professional basketball player, who represented the United States at the Summer Olympics in Seoul in 1988.
- John Zawacki Jr.: an American contemporary artist, who is known for his large-scale installations.
- Paul Zawacki: a master sculptor, set decorator, makeup and visual effects artist.
- Katherine Zawacki: a celebrity chef, restaurateur and television personality, as part of the cooking show 'Food Network Challenge'.
- Peter Zawacki: an American philanthropist and businessman, who founded a private international non-profit organization to promote global peace and understanding.