Surname Woyczyk - Meaning and Origin
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Woyczyk: What does the surname Woyczyk mean?
The last name Woyczyk is an occupational surname, derived from the old Polish word for joiner, wojczyk. The root of the surname is Woj, which is Polish for “warrior,” and -czyk, which is a common suffix denoting smallness. The literal meaning of Woyczyk is “little warrior.”
Wojczyk or Woyczyk was likely adopted by the ancestors of the present-day Woyczyks as their family name when society began identifying people by their occupations in the Middle Ages. Thus, the original bearer of the name Woyczyk was probably a joiner, or carpenter, of modest or small stature.
Woyczyk is a surname that is mostly found in the United States and Poland. According to the 1990 census, there were approximately 3,400 people with the surname in the United States. The vast majority of Woyczyks who are U.S. citizens trace their heritage back to Polish immigrants who settled in areas such as Pennsylvania, Illinois and Wisconsin in the 19th century.
Today, the name Woyczyk continues to reflect its proud Polish heritage. It has a lengthy and noble history of symbolizing the hard-working spirit of Polish artisans and craftsmen for centuries. Though the meaning of the name might have changed over time, and its spelling might have been modified for the modern-day, the name Woyczyk still carries with it a sense of pride and tradition.
Order DNA origin analysisWoyczyk: Where does the name Woyczyk come from?
The last name Woyczyk can primarily be found in Poland today, though people bearing this name can be found living in other countries. According to MyHeritage.com, the surname Woyczyk is most common in Poland and the United States, followed by Germany, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
In Poland, Woyczyk is a relatively rare surname compared to other surnames in the country. According to the Archives of the National Institute of Statistics of Poland, in 2019 the surname Woyczyk was the 6,101st most common name out of a total of 578,354 surnames in Poland.
Outside of Poland, Woyczyk is a fairly uncommon surname compared to other surnames in most countries. For example, MyHeritage.com estimated that in the United States fewer than 1,000 people had the Woyczyk surname, representing just 0.0002% of the population. Similarly, in the United Kingdom fewer than 200 people carried the Woyczyk surname, comprising just 0.00004% of the population.
Overall, the Woyczyk surname is still relatively rare today and is most commonly found in Poland.
Variations of the surname Woyczyk
The surname Woyczyk has multiple variations in spelling and separate surnames with the same origin. The most common variations for this surname are Woyczik, Woyczykiewicz, Woyczykowski, and Woyczyk. Each of these spellings and surnames originates from the same common ancestor.
The surname Woyczyk is generally found in the Polish language, and is derived from the Old East Slavic term “volost,” meaning a small administrative unit. This name is typically associated with someone from a specific area, and likely refers to a particular region or village. The spelling variations from there result from variations in phonetic and cultural norms.
The variation of the surname Woyczik is most frequently seen in Belarus, while Woyczykiewicz is primarily used in Poland. Woyczykowski is a common Polish variation of the surname, while the spelling of Woyczyk is extremely common in the United States, having been adopted by many immigrants who sought a new life in America.
Other less common surnames that are linked to Woyczyk are Wyczykowski and Wijczyk. While not as widespread as the variations listed above, the spellings Wyczykowski and Wijczyk are still related to the original surname of Woyczyk, indicating that they are derived from the same ancestor.
Overall, the surname Woyczyk has numerous variations of spelling and identifiable surnames derived from the same origin. The most common variations are Woyczik, Woyczykiewicz, Woyczykowski, and Woyczyk, and they are used widely throughout Poland, Belarus, and the United States. Additionally, the less common variations of Wyczykowski and Wijczyk also indicate a link to the Woyczyk ancestry.
Famous people with the name Woyczyk
- Zbigniew Woyczyk: Academy Award winning Polish director, screenwriter and playwright
- Leszek Woyczyk: Polish entrepreneur, commentator and traveler
- Krzysztof Woyczyk: Polish actor, director and satirist
- Wiktor Woyczyk: Polish politician
- Ewa Woyczyk: Polish-American chess master, writer and entrepreneur
- Monika Woyczyk: Polish doctor and professor
- Wojciech Woyczyk: Polish speed skater
- Marian Woyczyk: retired Polish footballer
- Jarosław Woyczyk: Polish handball coach
- Marianna Woyczyk: Polish artist