Surname Grzela - Meaning and Origin
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Grzela: What does the surname Grzela mean?
The last name Grzela is of Polish origin and is found among people of Polish descent as well as other Central and Eastern European countries. It is derived from the Polish word ‘grzela’ which means ‘porter’, ‘janitor’, or ‘bailiff’, and is an occupational surname. It is believed that the name Grzela is derived from a person who would have held a court appointment as the messenger responsible for delivering court proceedings or as the overseer of estates.
The name Grzela is relatively common in Poland and other Slavic countries, though in other parts of the world, its frequency varies. In the United States, the Grzela surname is most common in certain northeastern regions, especially in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. It is likely that those with Grzela heritage in the United States are descendants of Polish immigrants who arrived in America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In some European countries, variations of the Grzela surname are spelled Graala, Greala, Grzele, Grzelczyk, Grzelka, Grzelura and Grzerka. Overall, most variations of the name still refer to a porter or bailiff.
The Grzela surname has endured for centuries, honoring the Polish legacy and its proud people who have long been dedicated to their professions. The name itself is a reminder of a time gone by and is still carried today by many generations of people whose ancestors passed it down to them.
Order DNA origin analysisGrzela: Where does the name Grzela come from?
The last name Grzela is a common surname originating in Central Europe. It is most prevalent in Poland where it ranks at the 145th most common surname. It is also found in Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Belarus, and Ukraine. Additionally, the name is found sporadically in other Central and Eastern European countries as well as in countries settled by people from the region, such as the United States and Canada.
Grzela is believed to have derived from Przela, a regional Polish word which was used to refer to people living in the regions of \(\boldsymbol{Grzyb{\l}o~and~Grzyb{\l}~near~Opoczno}\) where the first recorded use of the surname appears. Additional variants include Grzela, Grzell, and Grella.
In the United States, the last name Grzela is uncommon outside of metropolitan areas with large Polish populations like Chicago, New York, and Detroit. Specifically, the majority of Grzela families in the United States trace their roots to the Polish settlement of Pulaski, Wisconsin, which was founded in 1854 by a group of settlers with roots in the Central European regions of Greater Poland and Kashubia.
Due to the regional origins of the Grzela surname, its distribution across countries is highly clustered in Central and Eastern European regions. As such, the last name Grzela is most common today in countries close to this historical origin, such as Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Belarus, and Ukraine. It is also found, albeit less common, in countries with large Central and Eastern European populations, such as the United States and Canada.
Variations of the surname Grzela
The surname Grzela is of Polish, Belarusian and Slovak origin. It is thought to come from a Polish diminutive of the name "Grazyna" which was derived from the Polish word "grzeczny" which means graceful or well-behaved. There are several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Grzela. These include:
Graza, Graża, Garyela, Gracza, Graczel, Grecul, Grecel, Grażek, Grzesik, Grzesiak, Grzeszak, Grzełek, Grzęda, Grzeczka, and Grzemek.
In Belarusian, the surname Grzela is found as Grzela, Garyela, Grzelya, and Grishyna. In Slovak, the surname Grzela is found as Grzyca and Grecel.
The Polish spelling of the surname is the most common variant and is often anglicised to either Garyela, Grzela, or Grzeszak. The spelling Graża is also commonly used throughout Poland. The spellings Gracza and Grzesik are also used in Poland, while Grzełek is more common among those from northern Poland. The surname Grzęda is also of Polish origin and is found most commonly in the Kraków region.
In the United States, the surname Grzela is found most commonly in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. In Canada, it is most common in Alberta and Ontario.
Famous people with the name Grzela
- Krystian Grzela: a Polish footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for ŁKS Łódź
- Łukasz Grzela: a Polish football midfielder who currently plays for Lechia Gdańsk
- Michał Grzela: an actor from Poland
- Marta Grzela: a Polish para-badminton player
- Jędrzej Grzela: a Polish footballer who plays for Raków Częstochowa as defender
- Joanna Grzela: a Polish singer and dancer
- Andrzej Grzela: a Polish chess player and coach
- Wiktor Grzela: a Polish cyclist who competes professionally for CCC Sprandi Polkowice
- Mateusz Grzela: a Polish footballer who is currently playing for Hutnik Nowa Huta
- Maciej Grzela: a Polish computer scientist and was the graduate student of the Technical University of Lodz