Surname Tomkiewitsch - Meaning and Origin
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Tomkiewitsch: What does the surname Tomkiewitsch mean?
The last name Tomkiewitsch is a Polish surname, derived from the personal name Tomkiewicz. This last name means "son of Tomkiewicz." Tomkiewicz most likely has pre-Christian Slavonic roots. It is derived from the first part of the personal name Tomko, which in turn is derived from the Slavonic prefix tom, meaning "great." This means that the literal translation of Tomkiewicz is "great son."
The ancestor of Tomkiewitsch likely passed this surname down through many generations. It is believed that it originated in central Poland, and today it is common throughout the whole of Poland.
Tomkiewitsch is a very common Polish surname, and some famous people who share this last name include Jan Andrzej Tomkiewicz, Dzierżykraj-Morawski Francios Tomkiewicz, and Aleksander Tomkiewicz.
Overall, Tomkiewitsch is a hardworking and proud last name with a long and storied history. It should come as no surprise that it is so popular in Poland, given its deep roots in the country's culture.
Order DNA origin analysisTomkiewitsch: Where does the name Tomkiewitsch come from?
The last name Tomkiewitsch is common today in the Czech and Polish regions of Europe. It is most commonly found within the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia, which are parts of Central Europe. It may also be found in some parts of Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania.
The name Tomkiewitsch (pronounced tom-KEY-vitch) has been traced back to the late 1600s in the area of Bohemia (part of the Czech Republic), when Mathias Tomkiewitsch was born. It is most likely a regional version of the German ‘Tomkowitz’, derived from the German ‘Thom’, which means ‘Twin’.
The Tomkiewitsch surname has evolved from the Czech spelling of Tomkievic to Tomkiewicz in Poland and Tomkovich in Ukraine and Belarus. As the Somerset Dictionary of Family Names suggests, this name is derived from Thomas.
As with many other European surnames, the Tomkiewitsch family has intermarried with other families over the course of several centuries. It is possible that some members of the Tomkiewitsch family may have some roots traceable to other parts of Europe, including several countries within Eastern Europe.
Whether tracing its roots or looking to find people with the same name, the last name Tomkiewitsch remains a relatively common name in Central and Eastern Europe today.
Variations of the surname Tomkiewitsch
Tomkiewitsch is a surname of Polish origin, with many variations, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Variations of the name can be spelt as Tomkiewicz, Tomkowitch, Tomkowski, Tomczyk, Tomkevich, Tomkovich, Tomcovich, Tomkyevich, Tomkyeyvich, Tomkesvich, Tomkevitz, and Tomkevitch.
The variations of Tomkiewitsch can be broken down by language. For example, Tomkiewicz is seen in Romania and Poland as a common variation of the name. In the Czech Republic, Tomkowski, Tomkevich, or Tomczyk can be used. In Ukraine, Tomkowitch, Tomkyevich, Tomkyeyvich, and Tomkesvich may appear. In Belarus, Tomcovich or Tomkevitz is seen, and Tomkevitch is occasionally used in Belarus or Lithuania.
Tomkiewitsch is used as an occupational criticism, meaning that the root of the name was often determined by a person's profession. For example, people who had to build wagons or carts might use the surname Tomczyk, and Tomkiewicz could have been derived from someone who was involved in building tools or weapons.
Tomkiewitsch is also seen as a patronymic surname, derived from a father’s name, as many surnames are used today. By adding an 'i' to the end of their father's name, sons could take on the same surname as their father. For example, the ‘i’ from ‘Tomkiewit’ (the father's name) could be combined with the suffix ‘sch’ to form ‘Tomkiewitsch’, thus creating a surname which links the father's name to the son's.
Given the many forms and language variations of the surname Tomkiewitsch, as well as its variations in meaning between nation and culture, it is a very nuanced and diverse surname. It is, however, an important surname, and should be respected as part of a person's racial and cultural identity.
Famous people with the name Tomkiewitsch
- Denise Tomkiewitsch: a Canadian painter and educator from British Columbia, Canada.
- Wulf Tomkiewitsch: a German actor who starred in films and television series such as Aktenzeichen XY... ungelöst, Der Fahnder, Tatort, and others.
- Alexander Tomkiewitsch: a Russian former racewalker who competed in the marathon, 10,000 meters and 20,000 meters in the early 2000s.
- Albert Tomkiewitsch: a Lithuanian ski jumper who competed in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
- Ralf Tomkiewitsch: a German businessman who served as President and CEO of the Opel Group in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
- Olga Tomkiewitsch: a German actress best known for her roles in the films Caius and Monte Verità.
- Heribert Tomkiewitsch: an Austrian-American journalist, author, and lecturer based in Berlin.
- Karin Tomkiewitsch: an Austrian sculptor and painter who primarily specializes in stone sculptures.
- Wolfgang Tomkiewitsch: a German film director and screenwriter known for his work on films such as Der Erbe, Schatten, and Ein Fall für Eva.