Surname Jastrzebski - Meaning and Origin

Jastrzebski: What does the surname Jastrzebski mean?

The surname Jastrzebski is of Polish origin and is generally believed to be derived from the root jastrząb, meaning “hawk”. This suggests that most, if not all, bearers of this surname may be descendants of a personal name, either Jastrzębski or Jastrzebski, derived from jastrząb.

The name may also be related to the Slavic jazdziem, meaning “rider”, which could imply that some bearers of the name may have had a background related to warfare or horsemanship. It may even be derived from jastrzebski, the dialectal word for “hawk’s claw”.

Jastrzebski is often associated with a place of origin in the Podlaskie region of Poland, located in the northeast of the country. The surname would have been very common in this area, and descendants of the original Jastrzebskis can still be found living there today.

Jastrzebski is quite a simple surname, giving little away about the history of the family or its origins. Nevertheless, those who are familiar with the name can be proud of their Polish heritage, as its origins indicate that the family have long been part of the area’s history.

Jastrzebski: Where does the name Jastrzebski come from?

The last name Jastrzebski, or its variants Jastrabski, Jastrzeby, Jastrzebiwski (etc.), is most commonly found today in Poland. According to public records, there are currently nearly 5,000 people registered with the Jastrzebski surname in Poland. The surname is derived from the Polish word ‘jastrząb’, meaning ‘hawk’ or ‘falcon’. This indicates that the name was originally a nickname referring to someone with a ‘hawk-like’ personality or physical attributes.

There are also records of Jastrzebski families living across Europe, and further afield in other countries such as Canada, the United States, and Argentina. Of course, there is evidence of Jastrzebski ancestors across many other countries and continents too, in various historical records such as census data and passage lists.

The Jastrzebski name is associated with well-known Polish figures such as Michal Jastrzebski, renowned Polish chess master, or Paweł Jastrzebski, the prominent Polish architect. It is believed that the ancestors of the Jastrzebski family established itself in the region of Greater Poland, and ultimately spread across the globe over the centuries, thanks to the migrant journeys taken by the Jastrzebski diaspora.

According to the Polish State Archive, the Jastrzebski family has been recorded in the Polish annals since 1585; it is now a longstanding and well-known name, synonymous with Poland.

Variations of the surname Jastrzebski

The surname Jastrzebski is derived from the Polish word 'jastrzebski' which means 'made of iron'. The name is most common in Central and Eastern Europe, especially in Poland. It is also found in countries with a large diaspora of Polish-origin individuals such as the United States, Canada, Germany, France, and Australia among others.

Variants of the Jastrzebski surname include Jastrzebska, Jastrzębska, Jastrzębski, Jastrzebowski, Jastrzebszewski, and Jastrzębszewski. Spellings vary depending on the regional dialects spoken.

Some of the surname's well-known bearers include illustrator and painter Kazimierz Jastrzębski, motorcycle racer Adam Jastrzębski, journalist Bartosz Jastrzębski, discus thrower Piotr Jastrzębski, and film actor Bartłomiej Jastrzębski.

Other names of the same origin include Jastrzembowski, Jastrzebovsky, and Jastrzębowski. The name Jastrząb is also related to Jastrzebski, as it is derived from the Polish word for 'hawk'. In Slavic languages, the names Jastrzemski and Jastrzebski are also interchangeable.

Famous people with the name Jastrzebski

• Bartosz Jastrzębski: Polish film director, screenwriter and actor best known for his films Głośniej od bomb (Louder than Bombs), Nieulotne (Unforgettable), and Czerwony pająk (The Red Spider).
• Jan Jastrzębski: Polish economist, professor at the University of Warsaw, and a former president of the Central Bank of Poland from 1998 to 2000.
• Marcin Jastrzębski: Polish lawyer and professional footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for Lechia Gdańsk in the Polish Ekstraklasa.
• Bronisław Jastrzębski: A famous Polish priest, publicist and art theorist from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Radosław Jastrzębski: A prominent figure in the Polish energy industry and member of the board of directors of PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna (Polish Energy Group) since 2007.
• Janusz Jastrzębski: A Polish journalist, TV presenter and former President of the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) from 1999 to 2015.
• Andrzej Jastrzębski: A prominent Polish entrepreneur and co-owner of the furniture company Jastrzębski Meble S.A.
• Zygmunt Jastrzębski: A Polish politician and former mayor of Rzeszów from 2013 to 2020.
• Stanislaw Jastrzębski: A Polish architect and professor at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts from 1918 until his death in 1947.
• Marek Jastrzębski: A Polish politician and former mayor of Nowa Sól in 2014.

Other surnames

Jastrzebska