Surname Woytowicz - Meaning and Origin

Woytowicz: What does the surname Woytowicz mean?

The last name Woytowicz is a Polish surname derived from the Slavic personal name "Wojciech"—a name composed of the elements “woj” which translates to "war, battle" and “czek,” which can be translated to "report, announcement". So, it is thought the name Woytowicz essentially means “War Announcement" or "Battle Announcer”.

The surname is believed to be of some antiquity, with mentions having been made of a Woytowicz family as early as 1262 in Olsztyn, a city of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship in Poland. The Polish spelling of the name, ‘Wojtowicz’ is thought to be more commonly used than the variation of “Woytowicz”.

In North America, Woytowicz indices in the US Census date back to 1910 and increased until the Second World War, after which numbers decreased. During the twentieth century, Woytowicz descendants mainly resided in larger cities such as Cleveland and Chicago. Nowadays, there are populations of Woytowicz people living all over the US as well as in Canada, the UK, and Australia.

Before modernization, Woytowiczes often made a living by occupations such as artisans, tailors, shoemakers, craftsmen, carpenters, and blacksmiths. They were often hardworking entrepreneurs and often displayed great loyalty to their local communities.

Today, the name Woytowicz is globally recognized. The lineage of the Woytowicz family has not been forgotten, and it will remain connected to the heritage and history of the small, inspiring country of Poland.

Woytowicz: Where does the name Woytowicz come from?

The last name Woytowicz is most commonly found today in Poland. It comes from the Polish word "wojt," which means governor, and the suffix "-owicz," which is often added to patronymic surnames in Poland. Woytowicz is believed to have been first used by people from the noble class in the area of nowadays Lesser Poland, where its usage has been documented as far back as the 1500s.

The surname has been popular and widespread in Lesser Poland, Silesia, and Mazovia throughout history. It is currently estimated that around 10,000 people in Poland have the surname Woytowicz, with the majority of them living in Lesser Poland and in the southeastern part of the country.

Woytowicz is also found in the countries which were part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 16th and 17th centuries, which included Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, and parts of Russia. In these areas, the name is usually spelt Wojtowicz. Emigration over the past few centuries has also seen the name spread more widely across the world, with communities of Woytowicz's mainly found in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Variations of the surname Woytowicz

The surname Woytowicz can be found in many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Some of the most common variants include Woytowich, Woytovich, Woytowich, Voytovich, Voytowich, Voytowitz, Voytowicz, Voytowich, Wojtowich, Wojtovich, Wojtowicz, and Wojtowich.

Various prefixes and suffixes, including Wojt-, Voyt-, -owich, -ovich, and -owicz are often used interchangeably as these all mean the same thing. Woytowicz is a surname of Slavic origin, derived from the Slavic personal name Wojt, which means 'soldier', 'guard', or 'vigilant one'. This family name was most likely used to denote a family that descended from a soldier or guardsman.

The Polish spelling of the surname is Woytowich and it is commonly found in all parts of Poland, especially in northern and eastern regions. In Ukraine, the most common spelling is Voytovych, while in Belarus it is Wojtowicz.

The surname has also been spread beyond its Eastern European origin by immigration. For example, the surname Voytovec can be found among residents of the United States, while Wojtovits is an Americanization of the original surname.

One of the most famous people with the surname Woytowicz is the American opera singer Janice Woytowicz, who has recorded over 40 albums and was known for performing in major opera houses such as the Metropolitan Opera. Several other people associated with the surname have achieved notable success in the world of music, such as the Polish jazz vocalist Ania Woytowicz and the Ukrainian singer Anna Woytovich.

Famous people with the name Woytowicz

• Zofia Woytowicz: (1920: 2018), Polish actress
• Kopernik Woytowicz: (1939: 2020), Polish actor, singer and composer
• Krzysztof Woytowicz: (1951: 2012), Polish actor and singer
• Bartosz Woytowicz: (born 1981), Polish actor and stage director
• Irene Woytowicz-Świerczyńska: (born 1982), Polish weightlifter
• Józef Woytowicz: (1917: 1974), Polish stained glass artist
• Sonia Woytowicz: (1914: 1977), Polish actress
• Barbara Woytowicz: (1917: 2016), Polish pianist and music educator
• Jolanta Woytowicz-Starak: (born 1950), Polish archaelogist
• Caroline Woytowicz: (1942: ), American swimmer
• Monika Woytowicz: (born 1969), Polish judoka and Olympic medalist
• Przemysław Woytowicz: (born 1983), Polish football player
• Adam Woytowicz: (born 1990), Polish footballer
• Jakub Woytowicz: (born 1996), Polish ice hockey player
• Krzysztof Woytowicz-Starak: (born 2002), Polish swimmer

Other surnames

Woytowitz