Surname Krzywe - Meaning and Origin

Krzywe: What does the surname Krzywe mean?

The last name Krzywe is a Polish name that originated in the region of Masovia. It is derived from the term “krzywić,” which means ‘to bend’ or ‘to distort,’ indicating that the family likely had some kind of physical deformity. The root word “krzywa” means “crooked.”

The name may have been given to the Krzywe family generations ago, even before the family moved from the region to other parts of Poland. It is quite common for Polish people to take their last names from some sort of physical characteristic, so the fact that Krzywe was assigned to the family indicates that at least one member of the family had some kind of physical deformity.

The surname Krzywe is also found in Lithuania, particularly among the Samogitian ethnic group, where it is spelled ‘Kriviu’. In Lithuania, the name is believed to mean ‘smart’ or ‘clever’, which could indicate that the family was known for their intelligence or skill in a particular area.

Today, the last name Krzywe is still found throughout Poland and other parts of Eastern Europe. It is an interesting surname that has a long and unique history that speaks to the family’s physical or mental characteristics.

Krzywe: Where does the name Krzywe come from?

The last name Krzywe is most commonly found in Poland today. In fact, according to the Polish ministry of internal affairs, Krzywe is the 4,700th most common last name in the country. The surname is thought to originate from a word that means “crooked” or “bent” and is often passed down through generations. It is most prominent in the central and southern regions of the country but is slowly spreading to the north.

The name has become increasingly common outside of Poland due to the mass amount of Poles who have moved abroad in search of better work opportunities and a more stable life. Today, individuals with the surname Krzywe live in countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States.

The surname might have some connection to the Old Norse “Krik or Kríki”. This name was found throughout Scandinavia in the early Middle Ages, and may have been brought to Poland by traders or early Vikings. It might also be connected to Slavic words like Krzywik or Krzywyń, which had similar meanings.

Overall, the surname Krzywe is most commonly found in Poland today, and has a long history and many possible origins. It is slowly becoming more widespread as Poles have moved abroad to other countries, and is likely to become even more common in the coming years.

Variations of the surname Krzywe

Krzywe is a Polish surname which comes from the word “Krzywy”, meaning “crooked” in Polish. Variants of this surname often depend on the region or even the individual spelling used — for instance, Krywe, Kżywe, or Kzedze. Other spellings seen for this surname are Ksziwó or Chzywó, and these variations often trace back to the same family.

Surnames with similar or same meanings also exist, such as Kęska (hooked) and Kaczy (crooked). Closely related surnames, deriving from the same source, can be found in other Slavic countries. In Belarusian, the surname is Крывоў, and in Czech, the equivalent is Křivý. Ukrainian variation is Кривий, and some other forms of the same surname can be found in Slovakia, as Krivý, as well as in Croatia, as Krivic.

In addition, variants of this surname can also occur that are not necessarily of direct Slavic origin. Spelling variants such as Krevi, Krivi, or Krevie can be attributed to languages such as Italian, Greek, and Spanish. There are even some variants of titles created from the same root such as Krzywogród or Krzywda, containing the suffixes “-grod” and “-d” (city and harm).

Overall, the surname Krzywe is considered quite rare, so the range of variant forms and spellings can differ significantly between individuals. This is why many researchers suggest seeing the name in its original form or Moderate Lithuanization as being the standard spelling.

Famous people with the name Krzywe

• Krzyzewski Mike (popularly known as Coach K): American college basketball coach, author and former basketball player who is the current men's head basketball coach at Duke University
• Krzywecki Jakub: Polish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Arka Gdynia
• Krzywicki Adam: Polish theatre director and author of several books about theatre
• Krzywek Marcin: Polish actor and voice actor best known for his role as Komentator in the animated series The Simpsons
• Krzywek Mariusz: Polish football player who plays center forward for Widzew Lodz
• Krzywkowski Wojciech: Polish neo-expressionist painter and illustrator
• Krzywonos Zbigniew: Polish film director and screenwriter known for his 1968 film The Collector
• Krzywek Krzysztof: Polish archaeologist and Head of the Department for the Preservation of Cemeteries at the University of Warsaw
• Krzywek Pawel: Polish basketball player who currently plays for Anwil Wloclawek
• Krzywek Bogdan: Polish composer and producer known for his work on films such as Odessa, or The Hundred Steps and Mechanic's Night

Other surnames

Krzywinski