Surname Owzareck - Meaning and Origin

Owzareck: What does the surname Owzareck mean?

The last name Owzareck (or Owczarek) is of Polish origin, and is most commonly found in Poland and the surrounding countries. It is a patronymic name derived from the nicknames Owczarz (meaning restrainer of oxen or herdsman) or Owczarek (from owca meaning sheep).

This surname was likely taken on by someone who worked with cattle or sheep. It may have been used by either a herdsman, cowshed keeper, or even an animal trainer in the early Polish language.

The Owzareck last name can also be found as a version of the Czech name Ousarik, derived from the Czech and Slovak term usar, which means a shepherd or breeder of animals. To this day, the name Owzareck is still commonly found in Poland and other Central and Eastern European countries, including Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, and the Czech Republic.

Outside of Europe, this surname can also be found in Australia, Canada, the United States, South Africa, and numerous other countries. Hundreds of thousands of people likely carry this surname in some form or another.

Whether you trace your roots to Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, or elsewhere, the surname Owzareck is steeped in a long cultural heritage, reflecting the contributions of ancestors that worked in the hard, but integral field of animal husbandry.

Owzareck: Where does the name Owzareck come from?

The last name Owzareck is believed to have originated in Central and Eastern Europe, somewhat settling in Poland and Russia. Today, this surname is much more widespread as it has gradually spread from continental Europe to other parts of the world. According to WorldNames PublicProfiler, the largest population of individuals with the last name Owzareck is in Poland, followed by Belarus, United States, Russia, and Ukraine. Additionally, the name is present in other countries of the world, including Hungary, Iraq, Brazil, Estonia, Italy, and Canada.

Owzareck is a fairly uncommon surname, mostly represented in Eastern and Central Europe. Interestingly, it is not yet classified by Ancestry.com or the US Census bureau, and therefore its exact population worldwide remains unknown. In the US, the name is mainly found in the states of Ohio, Texas, New York, California, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and Maine. The popularity of the surname in the States is in line with its presence in other countries of the world.

Overall, the last name Owzareck is most common in Central and Eastern Europe, mainly Poland and Russia, but it is also present in other countries worldwide. Its increased presence is likely to join the classification of other surnames at some point, as the exact population of people with the surname becomes available.

Variations of the surname Owzareck

The surname Owzareck is a Polish name meaning “Bear's Claw”. It is a relatively uncommon surname, and there are no known derivative spellings, or alternate surnames of the same origin. The spelling Owzareck is thought to be the original version, and is the most frequently found variant of the name. The surname is not as common as other Eastern European surnames, and so it is more difficult to find alternate spellings or derivatives. One of the few variants of the name is Owsarek, though this is not found in official records or on any existing genealogical databases.

Other surnames that share the same meaning of “bear's claw”, or “bear claw”, include Niedobecki, which originates in Germany, and is thought to be derived from Owzareck; Bearclaw, which is an Americanized version of the name; and the Czech name, Mackovice. Each of these names have many derivatives, and alternate spellings, though none of them share the same origin as Owzareck.

It is possible that other variants exist, particularly in other European countries, however given the rarity of the name Owzareck, it is unlikely that they will be found in existing records or databases. It is possible that other surnames of similar origin or meaning exist, so further research may uncover other variants or derivatives.

Famous people with the name Owzareck

• Carl Owzareck- Carl Owzareck has an important place in history as the first deputy mayor of the German city of Dortmund. He was an industrial magnate, businessman and politician who served from 1902 to 1905 and again from 1908 to 1910.
• Jakub Owzareck: Jakub Owzareck is a Polish athlete specializing in Cross Country Skiing, biathlon and long-distance running competitions. He won a bronze medal in the conquering of the world mountain course in 2013.
• Wojciech Owzareck: Wojciech Owzareck is a retired Polish slide shooter who won three world medals in his career, a gold medal in the 1995 individual event and silvers in the 1992 Rapid Fire Pistol and the 1999 Triple Shoot.
• Donald Owzareck: Donald Owzareck was a professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Chicago Blackhawks during the 1987-1988 NHL season.
• Stanislaw Owzareck: Stanislaw Owzareck was the leader of the paramilitary wing of the Second Polish Republic’s National Unity Party. He is remembered for his persecution of ethnic minorities such as the Jews and the Ukrainians during World War II as well as his extreme nationalism.

Other surnames

Owzarek