Show ContentsSobieski History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Sobieski comes from the Slavic personal name Sobeslaw, meaning "usurp glory."

Early Origins of the Sobieski family

The surname Sobieski was first found in Lubel among others. There was a Sobieski family of Lubel, who belonged to the Clan Janina, a Sobieszczanski family of Lublin, who belonged to the clan Nalecz, and a Sobek family of Sandomiersz, who belonged to the clan Brochwicz.

Early History of the Sobieski family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sobieski research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1565, 1606, 1629, 1647, 1674, 1696, 1702, 1735 and 1782 are included under the topic Early Sobieski History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sobieski Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Sobieski, Sobiech, Sobanski, Sobinski, Sobalski, Sobusiak, Sobieszczak, Sobczak, Sobkiewicz, Sobek, Sobczyk, Sobieszek and many more.

Early Notables of the Sobieski family

Prominent among those of the name Sobieski in this period were

  • the Sobieski family of Lubel, a sept of the great clan Janina...
  • Another member, Marek Sobieski (d.1606), was the Governor of Lubel during the reigns of Kings Batory and Zygmunt III...
  • Stefan Batory once said of him, "If the entire kingdom's fortune only depended on skirmishes, nobody would be more shrewd nor trustful than Sobieski...
  • Jakub Sobieski (d. 1647), the castellan of Cracow, bought the estates of Zloczow, Pomorzan, Zboroew and Jezierny in Ruthenia, and financed the restoration of the Carmelite monastery of Lwow...
  • The most prominent family member, however, was Jan Sobieski (1629-1696), the brilliant military leader and hero, who was elected king of Poland in 1674...
  • Maria Clementina Sobieska (1702-1735) was a Polish noblewoman, the granddaughter of the Polish king John III Sobieski...


United States Sobieski migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sobieski Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mike Sobieski, who was naturalized in Illinois in 1896
Sobieski Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Alexander Sobieski, aged 26, who landed in America from Bartniki, Russia, in 1906
  • Felix Sobieski, aged 25, who landed in America from Godolowski, in 1906
  • Franz Sobieski, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States from Witkowo, Russia, in 1906
  • Jan Sobieski, aged 19, who immigrated to the United States from Witkowo, Russia, in 1906
  • Josef Sobieski, aged 44, who landed in America from Dombrowo, Russia, in 1906
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Sobieski (post 1700) +

  • John S. Sobieski, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from California 25th District, 1954; Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1960, 1964 [1]
  • John M. Sobieski (1907-1983), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives from Wayne County 5th District, 1955-64 [1]
  • Daniel John Sobieski, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Illinois 5th District, 1986 [1]
  • Carol Sobieski (1939-1990), American screenwriter
  • Ben Sobieski (b. 1979), American football player
  • Leelee Sobieski (b. 1982), American television and movie actress
  • King John Sobieski (1624-1696), Polish king


  1. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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