Surname Kosielek - Meaning and Origin
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Kosielek: What does the surname Kosielek mean?
The last name Kosielek is of Polish origin and is derived from the Slavic elements ‘Kos’ meaning ‘blackbird’ and ‘elek’ meaning ‘contention’. Its literal meaning is ‘blackbird of contention’. In the 16th century, the surname originated as a nickname given to someone who exhibited persistent arguing, quarrelling and bickering.
Throughout the centuries, the surname has survived in many forms and variants in Polish, Czech, Slovak and Lithuanian, including Kosel(ek), Kosela, Kosla, Koselka and Kosiak.
Kosielek is a particularly common surname in the north-western part of Poland, particularly in the region of Greater Poland, the area around the city of Poznan. The surname is also common in Silesia, Wielkopolska and the Kujawy-Pomorze region. Other than in Poland, the surname is also fairly common in Lithuania, Russia, Kazakhstan and the Ukraine.
Today, people bearing the name of Kosielek are found all around the world, where the descendants of those who left Poland during the 18th century have spread it through the many Polish emigrant communities.
Order DNA origin analysisKosielek: Where does the name Kosielek come from?
The last name Kosielek is a common surname in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in certain regions of France. The greatest concentration of people with this surname is in Poland, where it is ranked as the 4th most common surname.
The surname is also quite common in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Lithuania, and Slovakia. In Belarus, it is believed to have come from German and Polish influences, while in Lithuania, it is often associated with the Lithuanian word kosielka, which means “bedspread”.
It has also been documented in France since the early 1900s, mostly in the departments of Seine-Maritime, Aube, and Côte-d'Or. The French version of the name is usually spelled Kosiellek or Kossiellek, while the Polish version is usually spelled Kosielek.
The surname also appears in the United States and Canada, primarily among people of Polish descent who immigrated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is not particularly common in either of these countries, however, with the exception of New York, where it is ranked as the 562nd most popular surname.
Variations of the surname Kosielek
The surname Kosielek is of Polish origin, and has various variants, spellings, and related surnames. These include:
Kosielka, Kosela, Koselek, Kosielec, Kosielecz, Kosielek, Kosieleski, Kosielicz, Kosialka, Kosielnik, Kosielok, Kosialec, Kośiela, Kośelec, Kośelek, Kośielec, Kośielecz, Kośielek, Kośieleski, Kośielicz, Kośialka, Kośielnik, Kośielok.
Kosielek is a variation on the Polish word kosielek, meaning “little black bird”, therefore this surname is likely to have been taken on by a family to symbolize a particularly chatty ancestor or family member. It is also possible that the name comes from a nickname of the same slang.
The surname is found predominantly in Poland, and there are variations that are specific to certain regions. These are:
Kosialka is a variant found mostly in south-western Poland, Kosielnik is especially common in Greater Poland, Kosielok is found in eastern and north-eastern regions of Poland, Kosieleski is common in the regions of Świętokrzyskie and Kurpie, Kośieleski is the most common variation of the surname in Lithuania.
Overseas, the surnames Koselek, Kośelek, and Kosela can be found in the United States, while Kosielek and Kośielek are prominent in the United Kingdom.
The related surnames of this origin include: Kosielecki, Kosiela, Kośelka, Kosielcka, Kośelewski, Kosielak, Kosielucz, Kośielucz, Kosielar, Kosieliak, Kośela, Kośelak, Kośelar, Kośelucz, and Kośelia.
All of these spellings, variants, and related surnames are derived from the original Polish name Kosielek, reflecting the variety of cultures and regions in which this surname has spread throughout the years.
Famous people with the name Kosielek
- Bartosz Kosielek: He is a professional basketball player from Poland who plays for the NBA G League Ignite.
- Janusz Kosielek: He is a Polish former alpine skier who competed in the 1988 and 1992 Winter Olympic Games.
- Krzysztof Kosielek: He is a Polish bobsledder who has competed since 2006 and narrowly missed out on a medal in the four-man event at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
- Miroslaw Kosielek: He is a Polish luger who competed from 1992 to 1994 and held the Polish national record for a time.
- Katarzyna Kosielek: She is a Polish volleyball player who represented her country at the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
- Wojciech Kosielek: He is a Polish diplomat and was appointed as the Polish Plenipotentiary to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in 2017.
- Grzegorz Kosielek: He is a Polish physician and founder of the European Society of Medical Oncology.
- Artur Kosielek: He is a Polish middle distance runner competing mainly in the 1500 metres event.
- Leszek Kosielek: He is a Polish former football midfielder who played for Lech Poznan and Wisła Krakow during his career.
- Krystyna Kosielek: She is a Polish former figure skater who competed in single and pairs disciplines in her career.