Surname Lesz - Meaning and Origin
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Lesz: What does the surname Lesz mean?
The last name Lesz is likely derived from the Polish word for fox, lis. It is a very common surname in Poland, typically found in southeastern Poland and in the German province of Lower Silesia.
The origins of this surname trace back to the location where the family first settled and began their lives. It is often believed that the surname's bearer came from the Polish town of Leszno, which was the original name of a village near Poznań (in modern Poland).
In 1550, a Lesz family was recorded in the Book of Settlers of Poznań, indicating that the Lesz family lived in the area for at least half a century at that time. Some believe that they may also have emigrated from Germany or Austria, as the name Lesz has appeared in records from those countries.
Lesz is not a strictly Polish surname, as variations such as Löß, Lusz, and Els have been recorded in Germany and Austria. In the United States, many variants of the name have been found such as Lusz, Lutz, and Luss. In Canada, it is more common to find forms such as Leszcz and Leszczyk.
Whatever its origin, today the surname Lesz is found in many countries around the globe, including Poland, United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand among others. It is likely that the name was carried by settlers and immigrants who left their homes in search of a better life.
Order DNA origin analysisLesz: Where does the name Lesz come from?
The last name Lesz is most commonly found today around the former lands of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which spanned an area of Central and Eastern Europe roughly constituting present-day Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Poland, Latvia, and parts of western Russia. It is widely believed that the Lesz surname derives from a regional term originally applied to the people of Lithuania, and are likely related to the Leśniak family.
The largest concentration of the Lesz surname today is in Poland, though it is still relatively common across the region. In the 2010 Polish Census, there were 42,561 people with the "Lesz" surname, and an additional 4,925 people with the “Leszcz” variant. A further 10,381 people had the surname "Leszek."
The Lesz surname can still be found in smaller numbers throughout the rest of the former lands of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This includes parts of Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, and Russia, as well as Lithuania, where almost 1,000 people still bear the surname.
Lesz is even present in other regions of the world, where it is usually the result of migration from the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, or direct descent from people who had once lived in the region. In the United States, there are over 300 people with the Lesz surname, the majority of whom are descended from Polish immigrants. The surname can also be found in other parts of Europe, Canada, and Latin America.
Variations of the surname Lesz
The surname Lesz can have a variety of different variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Some common variants include Lecz, Leszek, Lacz, Laš, Lašš, Láč, Lass, Lesicko, Lašovský, Laško, Lesik, Lešo, and Laszka (Lazka). Lesz can also be found spelled as Les, Lesh, Lys, Lyse, Lysz, Lez, Lec, and Lech.
Originally, Lesz originated from the name Laski, a Polish noble family from the 16th century. Over time, variations of Laski gave rise to the surnames Lesz, Leszcz, and Leszak. Lesz can be found in Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, Hungary, and many other countries across Europe, as well as in North and South America.
Lesz is often confused with the surname Lescz, which is a variant of the French name Lecz, but the two names do not have any direct linkage. Additionally, the surnames Lez and Lehse are completely different in origin than Lesz.
The surname Lesz is generally considered to have an occupational origin, as it originates from the old Slavic word lesh, meaning "woodman". Other etymologies suggest that it may be derived from the old German personal name Leodisso or from the Czech personal name Leszek.
Famous people with the name Lesz
- Sandy Lesz: Polish singer and TV presenter
- Bence Lesz: Hungarian voice actor and Youtuber
- Abram Lesz: Polish astronomer
- Koloman Lesz: Czech modernist painter
- Matt Lesz: American actor
- Benny Lesz: Dutch model
- Marek Lesz: Polish poet
- Joanna Lesz: Polish sculptor
- Zsófia Lesz: Hungarian model
- Aneta Lesz: Polish athlete