Surname Pawolski - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'P'
Pawolski: What does the surname Pawolski mean?
The last name Pawolski is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Pawel or Pawelk. The name Pawel can be translated to mean “small” or “humble” in the Slavic language. The masculine form Pawelki is commonly used across Poland and the surrounding countries as a given name.
Pawolski is believed to have originally been found in the Gdansk region of Poland, and could have evolved from the name Pawelsek at times when surnames were forming. As the Pawolski family moved throughout Europe, their name was often changed and adapted to different dialects or languages, making it difficult to trace the origin of the name today. There is evidence of Pawolski being used in Germany, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic.
The Pawolski family is believed to have been members of the upper and middle classes of the Polish nobility, although historically, the Polish aristocracy was abolished in the 19th century.
The name Pawolski has seen various variations over the years. Common variations of Pawolski include Pawalowski, Pawelski, Pawlaszczyk, and Pavlovski.
Order DNA origin analysisPawolski: Where does the name Pawolski come from?
The last name Pawolski is primarily found in Central and Eastern Europe, especially in Poland. It is the tenth most frequent Polish surname; in a 2020 study, Pawolski was the ninth most common last name in Poland.
The name Pawolski is primarily found in Poland, where it is most widespread. According to data from the Poland Ministry of Internal Affairs, in 2019 Pawolski was the seventh most common surname in Warsaw, the fifth most common in Cracow, and was found in all 16 Polish voivodeships.
Outside of Poland, the Pawolski name is also very common. There are more than a thousand Pawolski clans in Germany, primarily in Berlin, Hamburg, and other second tier cities. In the European Union, the name is particularly popular in Lithuania, Slovakia, and Hungary. In the United States, it is primarily found in Michigan, Illinois, and Texas, with a few scattered families in other states.
The name Pawolski has been around in some form since the medieval period; Pawel was a popular name among medieval Polish nobility. However, it has become increasingly widespread over the past few centuries, as more and more people took on the last name. Today, Pawolski is still one of the most common last names in Central and Eastern Europe.
Variations of the surname Pawolski
The surname Pawolski has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common of these is Pawlowski. This is the Polish spelling and is likely the most common usage due to the large population of Polish ancestors in the U.S. and other countries.
The Russian variant of this surname is Pavlovsky. This is likely due to the many Russian descendants with this surname. Similarly, the Ukrainian variant is Pavlovs'kyi, and the Serbian variant is Pavlović.
The Lithuanian version of this surname is Povilaitis, and in Slovak it is Pavlowski. In Czechoslovakian, this surname is Pavelka.
Variants of this surname in other languages include Pawlowski (Polish), Pavlovski (Bulgarian), Pavlovskij (Russian), Pawlovski (Slovak), Pawlowska (Polish), Pawlowskie (Polish), Pavlovskii (Russian), Pawlovsky (Slovak), Pawloski (Polish), Pawlowsky (Polish), Pavolayigion (Greek), Pavolocki (Polish), Pavlyuchkov (Russian), and Pavlovský (Czech).
Finally, surnames with a similar origin and pronunciation include Pawel, Pawelec, Pawils, Pavlo, Pauly, Pauli, Pauletti, and Palix.
Famous people with the name Pawolski
- Mike Pawlowski: former professional American football player in the National Football League (NFL).
- Pat PawolskI– former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1980 to 1985.
- Kelly Pawolski: popular American Award winning actress and writer.
- Carrie Pawolski: multiple award-winning basketball player and professional women’s basketball coach.
- Joe Pawolski: Offensive tackle for the Washington Football Team.
- Chris Pawolski: current American football player with the Cincinnati Bengals.
- Andy Pawolski: prominent tennis player and current world number 44.
- Mikey Pawolski: multi-GRAMMY nominated singer-songwriter.
- Dave Pawolski: leading professional entertainer and event host from the U.K.
- Anna Pawolski: internationally renowned fashion designer from Poland.