Surname Wawrzynczak - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'W'
Wawrzynczak: What does the surname Wawrzynczak mean?
The last name Wawrzynczak originates from the village of Wawrzynczewo in western Poland. It is most likely derived from the Slavic personal name Wawrzeniec, which is composed of two words, “wawrz” meaning honor or respect, and “zinc” meaning flag. Combined, these two words denote a person of high honor.
Over the course of time, the name was modified to its current spelling - Wawrzynczak. The suffix “-ak” is a common diminutive ending in Polish, which for the last name Wawrzynczak intended to make it less cumbersome for those who needed to use the name. For the same purpose, the “w” in the name was often dropped, so that “Wawrzynczak” would become “Awrzynczak” or even just “Synczak”. This modified form was a useful tool to save time in official recordings and documents – something that has since been removed.
In the Polish language, Wawrzynczak translates to “little Honor Flag” or “flag of respect”. This is an appropriate name to represent a family of proud history, and it is likely that anyone with the last name of Wawrzynczak is descended from these original inhabitants of the village of Wawrzynczewo. This last name still carries with it a certain prestige in the Polish community and it is likely that those who carry this name have highs standards to keep up.
Order DNA origin analysisWawrzynczak: Where does the name Wawrzynczak come from?
The last name Wawrzynczak is most commonly found in Poland. It is a patronymic surname meaning “son of Wawrzyniec”, which was derived from the old Slavic personal name Wawrzyniec meaning “one who is praised”. It appears to have originated in the eastern parts of the country near the Ukraine border, and is still most prevalent in that region today. In the nineteenth century, a large number of people with this last name emigrated from Poland to Germany, and the name can still be found there in some numbers. It is also not uncommon in the United States, where it is probable that some Wawrzynczaks came to seek a better economic life in the twentieth century.
In Poland, alternative spellings are often encountered, such as Wawrzynczak, Wawrzyniec, and Wawrzyniak, so it is quite likely that more people are descended from this family than they realize. Those with the last name Wawrzynczak can be found in most parts of the world today, including the United Kingdom and Canada, as a result of the diaspora of people from Poland during the twentieth century.
Variations of the surname Wawrzynczak
The surname Wawrzynczak is a Polish name, derived from the Polish words “wawrzynek” (willow tree) and “czak” (old, mature). This surname is a variant of the name Wawrzyniak, which can also sometimes be spelled as Wawrzyniaki or Wawrzyniak.
The following are various spellings and surnames related to Wawrzynczak which are of the same origin:
Wawrzynek – derived from the Polish word “wawrzynek” (willow tree). This is a common variant of the name Wawrzynczak.
Wawrzyniak – derived from the Polish words “wawrzynek” (willow tree) and “iak” (after). This is the most common spelling for the surname Wawrzynczak.
Wawrzyniaki – derived from the Polish word “wawrzynek” (willow tree) and “iaki” (little, small, diminutive). This is another common variant of Wawrzynczak.
Vaclavik – derived from the Polish word “vaclavik” (warrior). This is a rare variant of the name Wawrzynczak.
Walrath – derived from the Polish word “wawrzynczak” (willow tree). This is a less common variant of Wawrzynczak.
Vacek – derived from the Polish word “vacek” (little brother). This is an uncommon variant of the name Wawrzynczak.
Walraven – derived from the Polish word “wawrzynczak” (willow tree). This is an infrequently used variant of the surname Wawrzynczak.
Walraszczak – derived from the Polish words “wawrzynek” (willow tree) and “czak” (old, mature). This is a rarely used variant of the name Wawrzynczak.
In short, the surname Wawrzynczak can be spelled variously and is related to a number of other surnames which are of the same origin, such as Wawrzynek, Wawrzyniak, Wawrzyniaki, Vaclavik, Walrath, Vacek, Walraven and Walraszczak.
Famous people with the name Wawrzynczak
- Andrzej Wawrzynczak: Polish cinematographer, director, and actor
- Damian Wawrzynczak: Polish swimmer and Olympian
- Ewa Wawrzynczak: Polish modern Pentathlete
- Maximillian Wawrzynczak: Australian/American musician
- Violetta Wawrzynczak: Polish actress, writer and film Director
- Michał Wawrzynczak: Polish freestyle skiier
- Jan Wawrzynczak: former Polish football goal keeper
- Piotr Wawrzynczak: Polish football midfielder
- Andrzej Wawrzynczak-Deluga: Polish former ice hockey goaltender
- Kacper Wawrzynczak: Polish fashion model