Surname Soltys - Meaning and Origin
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Soltys: What does the surname Soltys mean?
The last name Soltys is of Polish origin and is most common in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is derived from the Slavic word "soltys" which is an old title meaning village leader.
The original meaning of Soltys transcribes leadership as village leader or magistrate. This title was established by the Polish monarchy to govern the peasant population, a job usually held by wealthy people of the time.
For centuries, Soltys was given to descendants of leaders who served in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in particular the region now known as Ukraine. It is also believed to be a commonly used variation of the surname Soltis.
Soltys is a patronymic name, meaning it's derived from the father's personal name. Its non-patronymic variant is Saltyk, which could also have been used the name of his father's original village.
The most prominent bearer of the name today is Ukraine’s former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, who was known as Viktor Soltys in his younger days.
The name Soltys is still in use today and is generally given to those of Ukrainian or Polish descent, but it could refer to anyone whose ancestors are believed to have held the position of village leader.
Order DNA origin analysisSoltys: Where does the name Soltys come from?
The surname Soltys is most commonly found in Eastern Europe, and within the region is especially prevalent in Poland. The surname, which is often spelled as Soltis and Soltyse, is primarily found in Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, Czech Republic, and Hungary. Statistics show that Soltys is particularly frequent in Poland, where it is ranked 75th out of 100 most common surnames.
The surname Soltys can be inferred to have originated from the Polish word “soltys”, which was a term for an important administrative position within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Soltys were responsible for taxation, record-keeping, and local governance of small regional areas. Thus, regional individuals with this surname may have been affiliated or related to past Soltys.
Today, Soltys are a recognized social and ethnic group in Poland. Soltys families traditionally have a shared history, values, and practices, such as participating in the same festivals, and having a close association with the Catholic Church. Soltys are particularly humanistic, and their culture is well-known for its hospitality.
The Soltys surname is becoming increasingly rare in the United States, and those with the surname in the US may mainly trace back their heritage to Eastern Europe. However, it is still George Soltys, the first American-born Soltys, who has distinguished the name in America. He came to the US in the 19th century and is known to have served in the Polish-American air force.
Variations of the surname Soltys
The surname Soltys is of Slavic origin and is found mostly in eastern European countries such as Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Ukraine. It is derived from the word “ Soltys”, a name given to the head of a village in Slavic countries. The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin as Soltys include Soltis, Soltiz, Soltesz, Soltic, Soltos, Soltysek, Soltisek, Soltysik, Soltisiak, Solecki, Solltys, Sołtysz, Sołtysiak, Sołtarek, Sołtysiak, Sołtos, Sołtysek and Sołtysz. In some instances, Soltys is translated into other languages such as Soltz, Soltzov, Solcoste, Soltès, Soltas, Soltess, Soltyz, Soltsy, Solders, Soldes, Soldis, Soldos and Soldoes. In Poland, the Soltys became known as the Sołtys and its spelling was changed to the present spelling due to a language reform in the early 19th century. In Hungary, the Soltys became Szóltys, and in the Czech Republic, the surname Soltys is usually spelt as Solc.
The Soltys surname is also found in other countries throughout the world, such as the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, where it is often spelt differently such as Soltis, Soults, Saults, Sautz, and Saultz.
No matter the spelling of this surname, it is derived ultimately from the same Slavic word “Soltys”, and its many variants are ultimately rooted in the same origin.
Famous people with the name Soltys
- Ondrej Soltys: Czech pop singer
- Pavel Soltys: Ukrainian theatrical director, theatre artist
- Matej Soltys: Czech handball player
- Elizaveta Soltys: former Soviet rhythmic gymnast
- Tom Soltys: former Australian rules footballer
- Lubomir Soltys: Slovak professional hockey player
- Juho Soltys: Estonian Entrepreneur
- Milan Soltys: former Czech ice hockey player
- Tibor Soltys: former Slovak footballer
- Ján Soltys: Slovak football goalkeeper
- Jonathan Soltys: British painter
- Pavel Soltys: one of the Czech Republic's top contemporary novelists
- Michael Soltys: Canadian educator and politician
- David Soltys: Canadian game designer and CEO
- Vladimír Soltys: Czech composer and conductor