Surname Pawlak - Meaning and Origin
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Pawlak: What does the surname Pawlak mean?
The last name Pawlak is of Polish origin and its meaning is derived from the Old Polish word “powala”, meaning “a field or small village”. It is likely that the name is derived from individuals who originated from a small village or field. It is also possible that Pawlak was a patronymic form of the first name Pawel, which is a Polish form of Paul.
The surname is fairly common in Poland, as well as other areas of Central Europe including Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Germany. Historically, the Pawlak family was amongst the nobles and landowners of the kingdom of Polska. Today, the Pawlaks are typically found in the larger cities, as well as the smaller villages that dot many of the rural areas of Poland.
Pawlak is a family name that brings up strong feelings of tradition and nostalgia for many Poles. It embodies the history, struggles, and triumphs of the Polish people and culture. As a result, the Pawlak family name is steeped in a deep sense of pride and dignity for those bearing it.
Order DNA origin analysisPawlak: Where does the name Pawlak come from?
The last name Pawlak is a common surname mainly in Central and Eastern European countries such as Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, and Lithuania. Additionally, it is also found in the United States, particularly among people of Polish and Ukrainian descent. In the U.S., some spell the name as PAWLAK, while others use PAVLAK or PAVLIK.
In particular, the name Pawlak is relatively popular in Poland, where an estimated 101,759 individuals use this surname. Most of those named Pawlak live in the Masovian Voivodeship, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Swietokrzyskie Voivodeship, and Lodz Voivodeship regions, all found in the south-central and northern parts of the country.
Other countries such as Slovakia and Ukraine also report notable counts of Pawlak households, with an estimated 1,819 and 687 individuals, respectively. The name is particularly common in the regions of Lviv, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Volyn.
In sum, the name Pawlak can be found mainly in Central and Eastern European countries, as well as the United States. Given its highest concentration in Poland, this surname remains to be a relatively popular one.
Variations of the surname Pawlak
The surname Pawlak has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
Pawlak: This is the most common spelling of the surname in modern times, and is used in Poland as well as other countries. It is derived from the name Paul, coming from the Latin word “paulus,” meaning “small.”
Pawelek: This is a variant of Pawlak, and can also be spelled Pawelek or Pawlick. It is mostly used in Poland and other parts of Central and Eastern Europe.
Pavlak: This is the most common spelling in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and other nearby countries.
Pawlawska: This spelling is most commonly found in Poland and other parts of Central and Eastern Europe. It means “son of Pawlak.”
Pawluk: This spelling of Pawlak is mostly found in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. It derives from the name Pavełuk which means “little Paul.”
Pawlikowski: This spelling is often used in Poland and is derived from the diminutive of Paul, Pawel, and is often associated with Pawel Wicki, a famous 19th-century Polish composer.
Pavlović: This is a common surname in Serbia and Croatia, derived from the given name Paul.
Bawłek: This is a Polish surname derived from the Polish nickname Bawoł, which means “rascal,” “troublemaker,” or “scamp.”
Babula: This is the Ukrainian and Ruthenian form of the surname, derived from the given name Paul.
Overall, the surname Pawlak has quite a few variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Most are derived from the given name Paul, and can be found throughout Europe, as well as parts of Eastern Europe, Russia, and Ukraine.
Famous people with the name Pawlak
- Lucjan Pawlak: a former Polish politician and Prime Minister of Poland from 1992-1993.
- Joanna Pawlak-Kulpa: former Polish politician, now President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Greifswald in Germany.
- Stephan Pawlak: former mayor of Duisburg, Germany.
- Grzegorz Pawlak: a Polish politician and former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Economy of Poland.
- Tadeusz Pawlak: a Polish former politician and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland from 1992-1993.
- Agnieszka Pawlak: a Polish film director, screenwriter, editor, and producer.
- Marta Pawlak: a Polish artist and theatre director.
- Anna Petrycka-Pawlak: a Polish lawyer and former Minister of Justice in 1993.
- Stanisław Pawlak: former president of the Conservative People's Party in Poland.
- Magdalena Pawlak: an award-winning Polish journalist and writer.