Surname Koziol - Meaning and Origin

Koziol: What does the surname Koziol mean?

The last name Koziol has multiple origins and meanings depending on the country of origin. Generally speaking, however, Koziol is a Polish name derived from a medieval Slavic word meaning “goat”. It is a toponymic name, typically referring to an individual who had lived in a location near a trio of hills that look like goats lying down. This last name can also be found in German-speaking countries where it is a variant of the name Kozel, meaning “billy goat”.

In Polish, the last name Koziol can be a nickname for those with a bushy beard or a playful personality. The coat of arms for the Koziol family consists of two red goats’ heads on a silver field. This was most likely chosen to commemorate the earliest members of the family who were associated with the trio of hills mentioned earlier.

Throughout Europe, the last name Koziol is still being used today and represents strength, fullness, and fertility. Although many have adopted the surname over the years, it is still fairly rare and can be found in its original form in Poland.

Koziol: Where does the name Koziol come from?

Koziol is a surname of Slovene and Polish origin, derived from the word Kozel, meaning "goat". It is most common in Poland and Slovenia today. In Poland, the surname is estimated to be held by over 9,000 people, making it the 83rd most popular surname in the country. As of 2014, over 4,000 people in Slovenia were reported to have the Koziol surname.

Outside of Poland and Slovenia, the surname of Koziol is less common, but it still does show up in other countries around the world. In the United States, for example, there are approximately 1,000 people reported to have the Koziol surname. Furthermore, it is also found in Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Germany.

The popularity of the Koziol surname over time is attributed to the fact that it is associated with rural and peasant populations. Historically, those with the surname of Koziol were lower in social and economic standings, and it was not uncommon for them to be considered to be part of the working-class.

Today, as people with the surname of Koziol have become part of the middle and upper classes, the name is now more broadly distributed. No longer relegated to rural life, those with the Koziol name are now more visible and more likely to be found in many other countries across the world.

Variations of the surname Koziol

The surname Koziol is a Polish-Sorbian name, which can also be spelled as Coyol or Kożoł. Variants of the surname also exist in other languages, such as Czech and Slovak, as Kozl, Kosel, Kosel or Kozal.

The surname Koziol is probably derived from the Polish word "kozioł", which means "billy goat". The same meaning is also found with the Slovak spelling of the surname Kozel, with the same pronunciation. The surname could have originated as a nickname or an insult used to describe someone who acted as wild or stubborn as a billy goat.

The Koziol surname appears to be most common in Poland, with 57,000 people having the surname as of 2018. In the Silesian area of Poland, the variants of Coyol and Kożoł are also popular.

In Germany, three different spellings of the surname exist as Kosel, Kösel and Cosel. There are 781 people with the surname in Germany, mostly concentrated in the states of Lower Saxony and Bavaria. The Kosel surname is most common in Austria and Switzerland.

The Koziol surname is also found in France, with 427 people using the spelling Coyol as of 2018. In the United States, the Koziol surname is relatively uncommon, with 80 people having the surname as of the 2020 census.

In other Slavic countries such as Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia, the surname is written as Kozul, with 243, 200 and 150 people respectively having that surname as of 2018. In other countries, such as Australia, the Koziol surname is much less common, with only 21 people having the surname as of 2018.

Famous people with the name Koziol

• John Koziol: Professional boxer
• Justine Koziol– Professional dancer
• Edward Koziol: Statistician and expert in the field of constituent relationship management
• Alicia Koziol: Professional dog trainer, breeder, and contestants in the American Kennel Club
• Amanda Koziol: Professional makeup artist
• Christopher Koziol: Professional soccer coach
• Gregory Koziol: Lawyer, school principal, and entrepreneur
• James Koziol: Sports agent
• Martin Koziol: Professional rugby league footballer
• Steven Koziol: Professional golfer

Other surnames

KoziolekKoziollek