Surname Olszewsky - Meaning and Origin
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Olszewsky: What does the surname Olszewsky mean?
The last name Olszewsky (pronounced "OL-shef-ski") is a common Polish family name which belongs to a language group known as Slavic. The surname is most likely derived from the rooted word "olszewski," which is a topographic name meaning "located near a species of alder tree (olsza).
In more recent centuries, the name Olszewski has been borne by many Polish noble families and lords within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. For example, the Olszewski family was a division the powerful Potocki family of landed magnates, who lived mainly in areas of Galicia, Greater Poland, and Podolia.
In contemporary times, the Olszewski surname is most prevalent in the Polish diaspora, having migrated to countries such as the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and Australia.
The coat of arms for the Olszewski family is an oval shield with three red roses and a single star which is often accompanied by a two ostrich feathers. It is also believed that the crest of three roses can be traced to the Rosenbaum-Olszewer family, an important lineage of Jewish landowners in the area of Modrivnia, now known as Ukraine.
The family's motto is “Ubi est charitas, ibi est victoria” which translates to “Where there is love, there is victory.”
In summary, the surname Olszewski is a prominent family name in Poland, with a line of noble roots and a prominent presence within the Polish diaspora. The coat of arms with roses and stars is a notable symbol of the Olszewski family's honorable history, and its modo provides an important reminder that true strength lies in the power of love.
Order DNA origin analysisOlszewsky: Where does the name Olszewsky come from?
The last name Olszewsky is most commonly associated with areas of Central and Eastern Europe, particularly Poland. It is a relatively uncommon surname, so it tends to be concentrated in certain areas.
In Poland, home to the majority of those who bear the Olszewsky name, it is mainly found in the southern and western parts of the country. Specifically, the majority of Olszewsky's are concentrated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the Greater Poland Voivodeship, Łódź Voivodeship and parts of the Masovian Voivodeship.
Outside of Poland, the name Olszewsky is most commonly seen in the Czech lands, Belarus and Ukraine. It is often written phonetically, in a variety of ways. In the Czech Republic it appears as Olšewski and in Ukraine it takes the form of Olshviśky.
The surname tends to be rare in other parts of Europe. It is thought that the name flourished mainly because it was associated with prominent Polish families during the 17th century.
Despite being mostly associated with Central and Eastern Europe, an insignificant number of individuals bearing the name Olszewsky are scattered across the globe, notably in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, France and Argentina.
Variations of the surname Olszewsky
The surname Olszewsky is of Polish origin and has a few variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants of the surname Olszewsky are Olszewski, Olszawski, and Olszowsky.
The spelling variant Olszewski is derived by changing the final letter of the original surname; this change can be due to the phonetic evolution of the dialects through the centuries or the influence of other languages (such as German, which employs the letter “S” instead of “W”).
The Olszawski variant arose due to the influence of Eastern Slavic languages, which often have an “S” instead of a “W”, making the same name Olszawski instead of the original Olszewski.
Finally, the variant Olszowsky was created due to the same reasons as the previous ones – the influence of other languages, notably German, which puts an "S" instead of a "W" in the surname.
Another surname of the same origin is the surname Olechowska. This variant came about due to the influence of other languages, such as the Belarusian language, which puts an “A” at the end of surnames ending in either “S” or “W”. Therefore, for example, the surname Olszewska would become Olechowska, and the surname Olszewski would become Olechowski.
Therefore, the surname Olszewsky can be spelled in a variety of ways, including Olszewski, Olszawski, Olszowsky, and Olechowski, among others. While these variants may sometimes be confusing, they all stem from the same origin and carry the same meaning.
Famous people with the name Olszewsky
- Ludwik Olszewski (1845: 1916), Polish co-founder of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków.
- Alexander Olszewski (1871–1959), Polish chemist.
- Wojciech Olszewski (1777–1829), Polish composer.
- Celina Olszewska (1927-1983), Polish actress.
- Franciszek Olszewski (died 1632), Polish Cardinal and Archbishop of Gniezno.
- Henryk Olszewski (1890–1942), Polish theater director and actor.
- Feliksa Olszewska (1899–1952), Polish pianist.
- Szymon Olszewski (1737–1819), Polish entrepreneur and philanthropist.
- Szymon Olszewski (1908–1982), Polish general.
- Witold Olszewski (1806–1875), Polish poet and activist.
- Tadeusz Olszewski (b. 1941), Polish actor.
- Franciszek Olszewski (b. 1936), Polish scholar in the fields of literature, theater, and film.
- Jan Olszewski (b. 1930), Polish lawyer and politician.