Surname Zylinska - Meaning and Origin

Zylinska: What does the surname Zylinska mean?

The last name Zylinska is a patronymic surname of Polish origin, derived from the name Zyl – a short form of the old Slavic given name Zylisław, meaning “fame and glory”.

Originally, the surname was used by a lineage that hailed from regions in north-central Poland around the border of modern day Greater Poland Voivodeship. During the medieval period, this area was part of the Polanian tribe Kingdom.

The earliest recorded reference of the Zylinska name dates back to the 16th century when a nobleman by the name of Zylin Zylinski was mentioned in the records of the Polish nobility. Zylin was a civil magistrate in the city of Kraków, and a member of the prestigious Zylinski noble family whose descendants can still be found in Greater Poland to this day.

Over the centuries, the Zylinskas distinguished themselves in numerous fields of endeavour – as military veterans, political leaders, clerics, and creative innovators alike.

Today, the Zylinska name is still found throughout central Polish regions as well as in other parts of the world, where it is associated with a distinguished and proud heritage.

Zylinska: Where does the name Zylinska come from?

The last name Zylinska is most commonly associated with Jewish origins, particularly Ashkenazi Jews. Today, it is found primarily in countries with large populations of Jewish people, such as the United States, Israel, Germany, and Poland.

In the United States, the last name Zylinska is primarily found in the Eastern and Southern states such as New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, and California. There are also a few small pockets of Zylinskas in places such as Louisiana, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Texas.

In Israel, the name is mostly spread out, as millions of Jews living there have the surname. However, the highest concentrations of the name can be found near communities such as Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and in the northern and southernmost parts of the country.

In Germany, the name Zylinska is found mainly in the southern regions, such as Bavaria and Baden-Wurtemberg, though there are smaller occurrences in other places as well.

In Poland, the name is most common in larger cities such as Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, and Katowice, where many Jews relocated following World War II. The name is also present in several smaller and more rural towns.

Overall, the last name Zylinska is still fairly common today, regardless of where one is located, as the Jewish population around the world continues to grow.

Variations of the surname Zylinska

Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Zylinska are Zylinska, Zylinski, Zylinskii, Zylinskiy, Zyliński, Zylińska, Żyliński, Żylińska, Zjylińskii, Ziylisyński, Zyylinski, Zylinsky, Zylinskyy and Zylis.

The surname Zylinska is the Latin form of the Polish surname Żyliński. It is a patronymic style name derived from the given name Żyl, itself derived from the Polish noun żył which means vein, channel or crevasse, and the Slavic suffix -in or -yn, an archaic diminutive suffix used to form pet or nickname names.

This version of the surname and its variants have become prevalent in central and western Poland, as well as in German-speaking parts of the country like Silesia. The original Żyliński is quite rare in the rest of the world. It is found most often in Israel, the United States and Australia. Variations such as Zylinsky and Zylinskiy are most commonly found in eastern Europe, particularly Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.

The Zylinska spelling is relatively unique in that it’s composed of the Latin spelling of Żyliński, with only a slight modification. This spelling is often preferred for documents intended for an international audience, such as official documents and emigration papers.

Famous people with the name Zylinska

• Joanna Zylinska: Polish-born philosopher, curator, and author who is a professor of New Media and Communications at Goldsmiths, University of London.
• Zbigniew Zylinski: Polish businessman and travel enthusiast who has received two military orders for his efforts in protection of the homeland.
• Agata Zylinska: Polish artist, author, photographer, and film maker. She is a professor of Visual Cultures and Photography at the University of Westminster, London.
• Anna Zylinska: Award-winning British author, photographer, and media theorist, Educated at the University of Warsaw and the University of Cambridge.
• Piotr Zylinsky: Award-winning Polish-Canadian film director, screenwriter, and photographer.
• Marcin Zylinski: Polish director and documentary filmmaker known for his work on short films, music videos, and documentaries.
• Pawel Zylinski: Polish actor and director known for his roles in films such as "Hurray!" and "Long Shot Story."
• Przemyslaw Zylinski: Polish painter and sculptor who studied under various modernist Polish art teachers.
• Magdalena Zylinska: Polish painter and artist whose work primarily explores the relationship between painting and architecture.
• Juliusz Zylinski: Polish sculptor known for his large-scale public works.

Other surnames

Zylinski