Kowaleski History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Poland

Etymology of Kowaleski

What does the name Kowaleski mean?

Over the course of its history, the boundaries of Poland changed frequently and as a result, Polish names have much in common with other Slavic names in the way they are formed. Polish surnames often end with a diminutive suffix, such as "-owicz," "ak," "ski," or "ska." The family name Kowaleski is an occupational type of surname, derived from the occupation of blacksmith. This name is a derivative of the word "kowal" which means "blacksmith" and, since this used to be a rather common profession, there were many bearers of the name. In fact, Kowaleski is one of the most common surnames in contemporary Poland.

Early Origins of the Kowaleski family

The surname Kowaleski was first found in Galicia which lies in southern Poland on the northern slopes of the Carpathians. It was overrun by Monguls in 1223. The region is composed of Polish and Ukrainian natives, the latter being to the east. The Ruthenian nobles adopted the Catholic faith and the Polish tongue. The surname became noted for its many branches in the region, each house acquiring a status and influence which was envied by the princes of the region. In their later history the name became a power unto themselves and were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they grew into this most influential family.

Early History of the Kowaleski family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kowaleski research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kowaleski History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kowaleski Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Kowalski, Kowal, Kovalski, Kovel, Kovalski, Kofax, Kowalczyk, Kowalik, Kovaricek, Kovarik and many more.

Early Notables of the Kowaleski family

More information is included under the topic Early Kowaleski Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Kowaleski family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Antonia Kowalski, who came from the port of Bremen to New York in 1868; Carl Kowalski, who arrived in Baltimore in 1868; Ernestine Kowalski, who arrived in New York in 1873.

Contemporary Notables of the name Kowaleski (post 1700) +

John H. Kowaleski, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Wisconsin State Assembly from Milwaukee County 10th District, 1938 1

Sources +

The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html