Surname Pietrowicz - Meaning and Origin

Pietrowicz: What does the surname Pietrowicz mean?

The last name Pietrowicz has origins in Polish culture and language. Derived from the Polish word "piotr," it is a patronymic name that means "son of Peter" or "descendant of Peter." It is a common last name in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, likely because of how close Poland is to these countries.

The name can be spelled a few different ways, including Pietrowicz, Pietrowitz, Piwtorowicz, Pietruczuk, and Pietrzak. All of these variants are derived from the Polish word for Peter.

The name can also be traced back through the Slavic language, as the masculine root "pawo" (meaning “striving” or “horsesman") was a widely known surname among the Slavs during the Middle Ages. This root combined with -wicz (which translates to "son") ultimately created the last name Pietrowicz.

Some of the more popular names, such as Pietrowicz and Pietrowitz, continue to be used throughout Europe. As the name has become more widespread, it has come to hold some variants and different meanings, depending on the culture and country. For instance, in Hungary, the surname is associated with agriculture, as it suggests the way a large family is cultivating a field full of crops.

Overall, the last name Pietrowicz is steeped in history and rich in culture. It is a patronymic name derived from the Polish word for “Peter” and it is widely used in countries and cultures throughout Central and Eastern Europe. It has a variety of spellings and different meanings depending on the culture, often referring to the hard work of an entire family.

Pietrowicz: Where does the name Pietrowicz come from?

The last name Pietrowicz is a prominent name in eastern Europe, particularly in Poland and Lithuania. It is one of the top 200 most common surnames in both countries. In Poland, the name is spelled Pietrzyk or Pietrzak and its variations. In Lithuania, it is spelled Pietrowicz or Pietravičius.

The surname is thought to have originated in the areas of Poland known as Lesser Poland and Podolia, located in Central and Eastern Europe, respectively. Folklore suggests that it may have been derived from the Latin word for "stone". The name was likely used to indicate an ancestral connection to a particular family, as families often adopted the last name of a region or estate to which they were connected.

Today, the name is found throughout the United States, particularly in large cities such as New York and Chicago. It is frequently found in Hispanic and Latinx communities, with a smaller number of people from other nationalities also carrying the name. In terms of numbers, it appears that the majority of people bearing this last name today are of Polish or Lithuanian heritage. However, there are also many external associations and offshoots of this surname in other countries as well, including Ireland, Germany, France, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

Variations of the surname Pietrowicz

Pietrowicz is a Polish-language surname that can be found spelled in various ways throughout different regions. It is most often pronounced as ‘Pee-eh-tro-vich’. Common variants of the name include Pietrowics, Pietricz, Pietrzic, and Pietrzyk.

The suffix -owicz is typically used to denote a patronym—a surname derived from the first name of the father—so the root of the name is most likely Pietr, a shortened form of the old Polish name Pieter (also found in German and Dutch as Peter). As such, other surnames that have the same origin include Pietera, Pieters, Pietersz, and Pieterse.

Within Polish culture, the suffix -wicz is often interchangeable with -witz, so Pietrowicz could also be spelled Pietrowitz or Pietrowitcz. This suffix is also found in the Belarusian language, so likely variations of the name there include Pietrowich, Pietrowiczek, and Pietrowycz. In Yiddish, Petersen, Rabinowitsch, and Rafalowitsch may all derive from the surname Pietrowicz, too.

The surname is also found in the spelling variations Pietrowski and Pietrowsk. The former is common in German and Polish language, while the latter is more common in Russian cultures. Generally, all forms of this surname, regardless of how and where it is spelled, can be attributed to a common origin.

Famous people with the name Pietrowicz

• John Pietrowicz: American professional baseball coach, scout, and manager.
• Charlie Pietrowicz: Canadian ice hockey player.
• Andrzej Pietrowicz: Polish novelist, dramatist, essayist and screenwriter.
• Eustachiusz Pietrowicz: Polish 18th century military leader, engineer, and astronomer.
• Filip Pietrowicz: Polish journalist, director, and writer.
• Günter Pietrowicz: German Nordic combined skier.
• Przemysław Pietrowicz: Polish military leader and politician from the 18th century.
• Roman Pietrowicz: Polish 19th century diplomat.
• Mariusz Pietrowicz: Polish football player.
• Marlena Pietrowicz: Polish paralympic athlete.

Other surnames

PietrowskiPietrowsky