Surname Turkiewicz - Meaning and Origin
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Turkiewicz: What does the surname Turkiewicz mean?
The surname Turkiewicz is of Polish origin. It is derived from the Polish word 'Turek' which means 'Turk', a term that refers to a native of Turkey. Therefore, Turkiewicz can be interpreted as 'son of a Turk', indicating possible ancestral or geographical connections to Turkey. However, surnames can evolve over time and their meanings might not directly relate to the family's actual history. This surname is prevalent among individuals of Polish descent. It should be noted that historically, this term also generally referred to a person from the Eastern or Southern regions, not solely Turkey.
Order DNA origin analysisTurkiewicz: Where does the name Turkiewicz come from?
The last name Turkiewicz is most common in Poland today. According to the data from Nasza-Klasa.pl, the official Polish genealogical site, it is the 531st most common surname in Poland. It is a popular surname in eastern Poland, as well as in the cities of Kraków, Sosnowiec, Lublin, Rzeszów, and Katowice. The popularity of the name Turkiewicz has also spread to other parts of Europe, including Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania. It is also found in North America, particularly in the United States and Canada, with concentrations in Pennsylvania and Ontario, respectively. Importantly, the name Turkiewicz can also be found in some Australian and New Zealand records. The range of countries where the last name can be found indicates the diverse geographic origins of the family, which likely stretches back centuries.
Variations of the surname Turkiewicz
The surname Turkiewicz is a prevalent Polish family name, with variants such as Turkiwicz, Turkevich, Turkovich, Turkewicz, Turkevith, Turkevchik, and Turekiewicz. These variants all stem from the same name and refer to the Turkic or Tatar origins of the surname.
The surname variant Turkiwicz is most often seen today, as it is the most commonly adapted Polish spelling of the name. The next most popular variant is Turkevich, also derived from the root Tatar. The Turkovicz variant is less common than the other forms.
The other variants of the surname, such as Turkewicz, Turkevith, Turkevchik and Turekiewicz, aren't as well-known as the former three. They still appear in older generations and genealogical registers. The variants Turkevith and Turkevchik likely stem from the stem Turkic or Tatar origins of the surname. Turekiewicz is the least common variant of the family name, and suggests a blend of the Prison Governors surname of Turek with the Turkiewicz one.
The surname is believed to have first arose in Silesia, which is now the modern day region of south-western Poland. The name itself refers both to the native Polish people belonging to the Turkic or Tatar ethnicity, as well as to individuals whose family had a longstanding connection to the lands of the Tatar people, such as through intermarriage or migration.
Famous people with the name Turkiewicz
- Gene Turkiewicz: Polish American geneticist and researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
- Tyler Turkiewicz: American competitive swimmer who participated in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials.
- Piotr Turkiewicz: Polish lawyer who served as a Member of the European Parliament from the European People’s Party of Poland.
- Stas Turkiewicz: Polish fencer and four-time World Cup medalist who competed in the 1988 and 1996 Summer Olympics.
- Jerzy Turkiewicz: Polish film director and screenwriter, notably best known for his 2007 film Curveball.
- Anna Turkiewicz: Former Polish ballet dancer and prima ballerina.
- Konstanty Turkiewicz: Former Polish politician and chemist who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1924.
- Zdzisław Turkiewicz: Polish Admiral who served in the General Staff from 1916 to 1918 and Commanding Officer of the Naval Forces of the Kingdom of Poland from 1921 to 1922.
- Halina Turkiewicz: Polish journalist and political activist who held a leadership role in the Solidarity movement in the early 1980s.
- Edward Turkiewicz: American physicist and professor emeritus at Stanford University specializing in low-temperature physics.