Polish Surnames · First names
The same ancestor can appear under four first names: the Polish name he was called at home, a Latin one in his baptism, a Russian one in a record from 1870 and an English one on his American death certificate. Knowing the pairs is the difference between finding him and giving up.
Men’s names
| Polish | Latin in parish records | Usual American form |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | Joannes | John |
| Józef | Josephus | Joseph |
| Stanisław | Stanislaus | Stanley |
| Wojciech | Adalbertus, Albertus | Albert, Adalbert |
| Władysław | Ladislaus | Walter |
| Franciszek | Franciscus | Frank |
| Antoni | Antonius | Anthony, Tony |
| Kazimierz | Casimirus | Casimir |
| Walenty | Valentinus | Valentine |
| Wawrzyniec | Laurentius | Lawrence |
| Maciej | Matthias | Matthew |
| Jakub | Jacobus | Jacob, James |
| Michał | Michael | Michael |
| Tomasz | Thomas | Thomas |
| Czesław | Ceslaus | Chester |
| Paweł | Paulus | Paul |
| Ignacy | Ignatius | Ignatius |
| Piotr | Petrus | Peter |
| Tadeusz | Thaddaeus | Ted |
| Zygmunt | Sigismundus | Sigmund |
Women’s names
| Polish | Latin in parish records | Usual American form |
|---|---|---|
| Maria, Marianna | Maria, Marianna | Mary, Marion, Mary Ann |
| Anna | Anna | Anna, Ann |
| Katarzyna | Catharina | Catherine, Kate |
| Agnieszka | Agnes | Agnes |
| Jadwiga | Hedvigis | Hedwig, Harriet |
| Józefa | Josepha | Josephine |
| Franciszka | Francisca | Frances |
| Stanisława | Stanislava | Stella |
| Bronisława | Bronislava | Bernice |
| Genowefa | Genovefa | Genevieve |
| Zofia | Sophia | Sophie |
| Rozalia | Rosalia | Rose |
| Helena | Helena | Helen |
| Wiktoria | Victoria | Victoria |
| Weronika | Veronica | Veronica |
| Łucja | Lucia | Lucy |
| Julianna | Juliana | Julia |
| Apolonia | Apollonia | Pauline |
American forms were chosen by sound as often as by meaning, so the pairs are habits, not rules. Władysław was usually Walter but sometimes Ladislaus or Wally, and the same man can use two forms in two records.
Names in Russian-language records
From 1868 to about 1917, parish records in the Russian partition were kept in Russian. First names were written in Cyrillic, usually in their Russian form: Jan as Ян, Józef as Иосиф (Iosif), Wojciech as Войцех, Stanisław as Станислав, Maria as Марианна or Мария. The Polish name is almost always recognizable once transliterated, but indexes may record either form.
How Polish children were named
Catholic families often named a child after the saint whose feast fell on or near the day of birth or baptism. A boy born on 23 April, the feast of Saint Adalbert, was very often Wojciech; a girl born around 16 October, Saint Hedwig’s day, was often Jadwiga. Poles celebrated the name day, imieniny, more than the birthday. This helps when an American record gives only an approximate birth date: the name can narrow the season.
Tips for searching indexes
- Search the Polish form first, then the Latin one: many indexes record the name as written in the book
- Search without the first name when the surname is uncommon, then filter by the parents
- Remember that the name used in America may be a second baptismal name, or a nickname such as Walter for Władysław
- Diminutives appear in records too: Jaś and Janek for Jan, Kasia for Katarzyna, Franek for Franciszek
How we can help
Our translations give every name in the original language and its modern Polish form, so you can match each record to the people in your American documents.