Surname Wojtko - Meaning and Origin
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Wojtko: What does the surname Wojtko mean?
The last name Wojtko is a Polish surname, which is derived from the Slavic given name Wojtek. The most common form of the name in Poland is Wojtkowski, or Wojtko. The name is most likely derived from the given name Wojciech, which is itself a combination of two older Slavic names: voj "warrior" or "combatant" and -tecku "honor, glory."
In Polish, the term Wojtek, or less frequently Wojtko, refers to someone who is brave or fierce in battle. In fact, it was an appellation commonly given to Polish soldiers on the battlefield. The name is also associated with military heroism and courage, because Wojtek was the name famously given to a bear that served alongside Polish troops during World War II.
The word for bear in Polish is niedźwiedź, so the term Wojtek was used to refer to the bear in the same way it was used for brave warriors. The popularity of the name Wojtko has endured throughout the years in Poland and is still in use today.
Those with the last name Wojtko are proud of its association with bravery and honor. The Patriarch of the family is typically referred to as Wojtek, who is seen as a figurehead representing the family's values of courage and steadfastness.
Order DNA origin analysisWojtko: Where does the name Wojtko come from?
The surname Wojtko is most commonly found in Poland. In fact, according to a 2020 database of surnames for Poland, there are over 3,500 people in the country with the surname, ranking it as the 404th most common surname in Poland. Wojtko is commonly concentrated in the eastern part of the country, particularly in the provinces of Mazowieckie, Podlaskie, and Lubelskie.
It is also found in other countries, though much less frequently. Since some people with the Wojtko surname left their homes in Poland during WW2, some members of the family can be found in Germany today. Additionally, the surname can be found in the United States, where it is much less common, making it easier to trace the family history of those who carry the name.
The origins of the surname are quite interesting. The word itself is derived from ‘Wojtek’, which means ‘a warrior with a good fortune’. It is also used to signify or describe a person’s bravery in battle. The surname itself has been in use since at least the 16th century and there are some records which indicate that the first known person to have the name was a man named Wojtek Wejtko, who was born in 1590.
To summarise, the last name Wojtko is most commonly found in Poland, with the highest concentration in the eastern part of the country. It is also found in Germany and the USA, though in much smaller numbers. The word itself is thought to have originated in the 16th century and it is derived from the old Polish word ‘Wojtek’, meaning ‘a warrior with a good fortune’.
Variations of the surname Wojtko
The surname Wojtko is derived from the Polish word “wójt” which means “vilage headman” or “head of the village”. Variants and surnames of the same origin include Wojtak, Wojtowicz, Wojtowiczek, Wojtovitch, Wojtkowicz, Wojtowycz, Wojtowitz, Wojtuck, Wojtukewicz, Woytak, Woytko, Woytowicz, Vojtak, Vojtko, Vojtkov, Voytak, Voytek and Voytko.
Wojtko is derived from an old noble family name from regions of Silesia and Poland. There are also records of people linked to the surname with Austrian, Ukrainian and Czech-Slovak backgrounds.
The surname Wojtko is derived from a Slavic word “voj” which means “army” or “soldier”, and “k” is a diminutive suffix. It is available in different spellings, such as Wojtsky, Wojcik, Wojsik and Wojczyk.
The surname is also used as a given name for both male and female. It is also spelled as Wojtek, Wojteck, Vojtek and Voytek.
Wojtko is a fairly rare name in the United States. In the U.K, the family name is most prevalentin counties of London, Yorkshire and Lancashire and in Ireland it is mainly found in Donegal. In Australia,the name is mainly found in Victoria and New South Wales.
Overall, there are numerous variants of Wojtko, but common spellings of the surname include Wojtko, Wojcik, Voytek and Woytko.
Famous people with the name Wojtko
- Josh Woitko: Professional soccer player
- Ken Wojtko: Retired Staff Sergeant United States Air Force
- Aleks Wojtko: Professional NBA basketball player
- Eric Wojtko: Professional lacrosse player
- Kevin Wojtko: Former Executive Director of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce
- Alan Wojtko: Award-winning writer and public speaker
- John Wojtko: Former Chief of Police, City of Cleveland
- Matt Wojtko: Professional poker player
- Andriy Wojtko: Chairman of Ashland University Board of Trustees
- Mark Wojtko: Corporate Director of Employee Health and Wellness