Surname Koßlowski - Meaning and Origin
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Koßlowski: What does the surname Koßlowski mean?
Koßlowski is a German surname that is derived from the Old Polabian-Slavic given name Košl, meaning “black” or “pale.” The name was likely given to someone with dark hair or skin, which was a common feature among the early Germanic tribes.
In some forms of the name, such as the Polish version "Koślowski," the Polish letter sz (Ś) is replaced with s. This letter is a soft “s” sound that is pronounced similar to “sh.” The Polish version may also take the form "Koslowski,” without the accent mark.
The name Koßlowski is prevalent in Germany and Austria. It is found in other European countries, including Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine, and Hungary. The name could have also come from the Latinized versions of the given name, such as Caslevus or Coslew. The surname may also have originated from other areas, since the name has been adopted and changed over the centuries.
The name Koßlowski is common among the German speaking Russian-Germans, the Mennonites, and the Volga Germans. The surname is associated with many prominent figures, among them the Polish mathematician Wojciech Koßlowski, the Danish-born American composer Theodore Rusted Koßlowski, and the French-American author Pascal Koßlowski. The Koßlowski surname remains a recognizable indicator of Germanic ancestry.
Order DNA origin analysisKoßlowski: Where does the name Koßlowski come from?
The last name Koßlowski is most common today in Germany and Poland, which makes sense considering its roots. It is a Germanic occupational surname belonging to the patronymic category, with the suffix “-ski” indicating a Slavic influence; this suggests that the family is of German-Polish descent. The literal meaning of Koßlowski is “son of Koß” or “son of analogous name”, which implies that the original Koß was a Slavic personal name borne by a distant ancestor.
In Germany, the last name is most popular in the northeastern region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which borders both the Baltic Sea and Poland. It is also found in various other parts of the country, including Berlin, Brandenburg, and Saxony. In Poland, the last name is most popular in the north-western regions of West Pomerania, Lubusz, and Lublin, as well as in the Greater Poland and Masovian Voivodeships. In comparison to Germany, the popularity of the last name is much higher in Poland.
Based on figures from the Central Register of All Last Names in Germany, the last name Koßlowski is ranked approximately 26,000th most common in the country, with 17,650 people claiming the name as their own. Meanwhile, figures from the Polish National Population and Housing Census of 2011 show that the name is ranked at 2202nd in the country, with over 44,000 people having the name in their family tree.
Variations of the surname Koßlowski
The surname Koßlowski has different variants, spellings, and surnames that come from the same origin. These variants include Koßlowska, Koßlow, and Koßlowsk.
The Koßlowski surname originates from regions of East and Central Europe, primarily Germany, Austria and Poland. The surname has been documented as early as 1541 in Germany. Variations of this surname likely arose from different dialects and languages in the region. In Germany, it may be derived from a nickname, or could refer uniquely to someone from the town of Koßlau or Kötelow in the Erfurt province.
In Polish, the Koßlowski surname is spelled Kosslowski or Koslowski. It is often spelled with the letter 'sz' which is used to represent the sound 'sh' in Polish. This surname is quite common in Poland and is found mainly in the southern part of the country and in cities such as Warsaw and Krakow. It can be traced back to the 14th century and is likely derived from a nickname or a habitational name from many small towns with names that have the root 'kos' in them.
In Austria, the surname is spelled Kosslowsky with 'ss' instead of 'ß' and is derived from the same roots as the other variants. This spelling is commonly found in areas of Austria like Vienna and Upper Austria.
The surnames Koslavski, Koslowski and Kossowski also derive from the same Koßlowski roots but more commonly come from Russian sources. The suffix in these names is likely derived from the military rank of 'kazak', which referred to light cavalry riders.
Famous people with the name Koßlowski
- Hans-Joachim Koßlowski, an East German swimmer who won silver at the 1968 Summer Olympics
- Frank-Erich Koßlowski, architect and key representative of the "Berlin Modern" style
- Johann Koßlowski, an Austrian-Dutch painter
- Chris "Cozz" Koßlowski, former NFL guard
- Gebhard Koßlowski, German football striker
- Mariusz Koßlowski, Polish football defender
- Hilda Koßlowski, German lawyer and social activist
- Hans Koßlowski, an Austrian music therapist
- Albrecht Koßlowski, German Olympic field hockey player
- Maria Koßlowski, German opera singer