Finding out if people of the same surname as your ancestors still live in Poland may be of great help in your family research. In some cases it will indicate the areas where it is represented far more often compared to other parts of Poland.
Nazwiska Polskie
The database is called Nazwiska Polskie (meaning „Polish surnames”) and can be found at www.nazwiska-polskie.pl. It can be searched in a few ways:
- Surname research – type the researched surname in the field labelled “Nazwisko” and press the search button (znajdź). The results will be displayed on a map of Poland. The numbers will indicate surname count in various areas. When you zoom in the map, the numbers will reflect a more accurate surname count in a selected area. A summary of the research indicating the number of the surname bearers in various areas of Poland will be located under the map.
- Surname list – if you know or believe the surname you are researching may have been changed at some point in the past have a look at a surname list and locate the surnames similar to yours. You will find this section at the top of the page. It is called “Nazwiska zaczynające się na” (surnames starting with a letter). Pick the right letter and keep narrowing your search down by chosing the letters that follow. As the result you will get a list of surnames with information where they occur most often.
Tip:
- If there is no results for your query it is possible that the surname of your ancestors was misspelled or got changed on purpose at some point after they left Poland. Use surname list for your research instead of simple surname research.
You may also wish to check out our post about German names of Polish cities, towns and villages to find out today’s name of the place where your Polish ancestors lived.
Still struggling to find your ancestors and relatives? Contact us!