Surname Andrzejewska - Meaning and Origin

Andrzejewska: What does the surname Andrzejewska mean?

The last name Andrzejewska is of Polish origin, and is an ornamental surname derived from the first name Andrzej (Andrew). The suffix "-ewska" is a female form of the ending "-ewski" and is often attached to the first name of a male ancestor to indicate the female descendant who bears the same name.

Therefore, the name Andrzejewska implies that the family who bears it is descended from someone called Andrzej or Andrew. The name has also been known to refer to someone who lived in any of the numerous places in Poland bearing the name "Andrzejewo" or "Andrzejowo".

The root of the name Andrzej is derived from the Greek name Andreas, which translates to "manly" or "valiant" in English. It has been in use since the 12th century, when Saint Andrew the Apostle started to be celebrated in the Polish church. As such, the name has deep significance and roots in the Polish Christian culture.

The surname Andrzejewska can also be found in other countries besides Poland, such as England, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine, hinting that Poles with the surname may have immigrated there.

Today, the surname Andrzejewska is very common in Poland and usually denotes a person of Polish descent. While it hasn't been pervasive in other countries, it is slowly gaining more recognition due to the increasing presence of the Polish diaspora in places outside their home country.

Andrzejewska: Where does the name Andrzejewska come from?

The last name Andrzejewska is most commonly found in Poland. This surname is derived from the given name Andrzej, a Polish name of Greek origin meaning 'manly or masculine'. According to a 2016 survey, it is the 77th most common surname in Poland today, appearing in around 1 in 4,000 people.

The surname is especially common in Poland's east and south, where it is found in small towns, villages and rural areas. It is believed that the Andrzejewski family stretches back to 12th and 13th centuries, when the vast majority of Poland was under German rule and the family had settled in the region around Gdansk.

Andrzejewska is a patronymic surname, meaning that each generation has taken the name from the father to denote their lineage. For example, Andrzej Andrzejewski's children would have taken the surname Andrzejewska. This surname is also found throughout greater Europe, in the former Soviet Union, and even a few American adoptees of Polish-Russian descent.

The surname is becoming increasingly rare with the passage of time, as many people have changed their surnames due to marriage and immigration. Indeed, it is estimated that only around 20 per cent of people in Poland, living today, are still carrying the surname of Andrzejewska.

Variations of the surname Andrzejewska

The Andrzejewska name has several variations, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.

The most common spelling is often found in both Polish and Lithuanian contexts, Andrzejewska, and is derived from the surname Andrzej, whose origin is derived from the Christian name Andrzej. This surname is also sometimes spelled as Andrzejewskaja, Andrzejewskaia, and Andrzejewki. Additionally, sometimes one of the final letter "a" is dropped from the spelling Andrzejewska in some cases, so one may encounter the spelling as Andrzejewski.

Other surnames which have the same origin as Andrzejewska include Anruntevska, Andrejewski, Andrelcik, Andrzejсzycka, and Andreik.

In Romania, the spelling Andrzejevski instead of Andrzejewska is also sometimes encountered.

In the United States, due to spelling variations from immigration, some other sources have listed spellings such as ‘Andjewska, Andrzewska, Andrewska, Andruska and Andristka’ as being variations of the same origin as Andrzejewska. Additionally, some related Polish surnames were Anglicized at various points, sometimes to Andrewski or Andrewsky, so one may sometimes encounter those Anglicized spellings as well.

In a broader sense, as a Polish surname, some related surnames which are derived from the same origin could include surnames which use Andrzej as part of the name, such as Andrzejewski, Andrzejweska, Andrzejkiewicz, and Andrzejkowycz.

Famous people with the name Andrzejewska

• Marzena Andrzejewska: Polish actress
• Zofia Andrzejewska: Polish film and theater actress
• Wanda Andrzejewska: Polish actress and director
• Joanna Andrzejewska: Polish film and theater actress
• Magda Andrzejewska: Polish film, television, and stage actress
• Kamila Andrzejewska: Polish artist
• Katarzyna Andrzejewska: Polish artist
• Łucja Andrzejewska: Polish actress
• Teresa Andrzejewska: Polish Answer the Call volunteer and nurse
• Joanna Andrzejewska-Karska: Polish sculptor

Other surnames

Andrzejewski