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| Origins Available: |
| | Germany |
The name Borkowski comes from the German region of Westphalia. The tradition of adopting hereditary surnames came to Germany after the 12th century, and the names of places where people lived were a primary source. Many local names carry the prefix "von", meaning "of" or "from," which was originally an indicator of land ownership, and is sometimes a mark of nobility. The Borkowski family originally lived in or near one of the numerous places named Bork in Germany and in bordering Slav countries. Borkowski is a topographic surname, a type of local surname that was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. The toponym Borkowski is derived from the Old German word Burg, which meant castle or fortress.
The surname Borkowski was first found in Westphalia, where the name Borch was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Borkowski research. Another 74 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1617, 1681, 1707, 1747 and 1847 are included under the topic Early Borkowski History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Borkowski include Bork, Borck, Borcke, Borcker, Bork, Borkk, Borkke, Borch and many more.
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Borkowski Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In the United States, the name Borkowski is the 7,918th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1
For many Germans, emigration to North America was an inviting alternative to the trials of life in the old country. From the mid-17th into the present century, thousands of Germans migrated across the Atlantic. They capitalized on the chance to escape poverty and persecution, and to own their own land. After 1650, Germans settled throughout the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also landed in Canada, settling in Ontario or father west on the rich land of the prairies. Among them: Matthes Bork, age 40; who arrived with his wife and 6 children in America in 1709. Elizabeth Bork, age 20; also arrived in America in 1709; as did Heinrich Bork, age 50.