Surname Kowallek - Meaning and Origin
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Kowallek: What does the surname Kowallek mean?
The last name Kowallek is of Polish origin, and it is derived from the Polish word Kowal, which means “blacksmith.” The name is also connected to Kouvalek, a specific village name in the area. The Kowallek name is believed to have first appeared in the documents of the early 16th century in the areas of Bochnia and Krakow.
In many cases, Kowallek names were interchangeable in Poland with both the surname Kowal and the place name Kouvalek. The original owners of the Kowallek surname were most likely individuals or their families who were living in the Kurowalek (Kouvalek) area at the time. The family could have included Jews, peasants, soldiers, or members of the upper class.
The surname is quite common in Poland to this day. Many people with the Kowallek name today still originate from the area of Kurowalek, but have since scattered around Poland and migrated to other countries. The Kowalleks have a proud history and an even brighter future.
Order DNA origin analysisKowallek: Where does the name Kowallek come from?
The last name Kowallek is most commonly found among people of German, Austrian, and Polish ancestry. According to records from the year 2000, Kowallek is one of the most common surnames in Germany, ranking 82nd out of 188,000 surnames. It is also a popular name in Poland, where it is found in various forms (Kowalczyk, Kowalewski, Kowalik, etc.), and ranks 201st out of approximately 95,000 surnames. In the United States, Kowallek is less common. By the year 2000, only 1,127 individuals carried this surname. The geographic spread of these individuals in the United States is concentrated in the Midwest, particularly in states like Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Pennsylvania. Although Kowallek is not the most common last name found in today’s population, it remains an interesting surname of German and Polish origin.
Variations of the surname Kowallek
The surname Kowallek is one of many family names of German origin, with many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Some of these include Kowalczyk, Kowalewski, Kowalski, Kowalkowski, Kowalek, Kowalczuk, Kowalska, Kowala, Kowallik, and Kowalik.
The German word for "blacksmith" is "schmied". It is believed that the Kowallek surname originates from this word and was used as a surname for those blacksmiths who primarily worked with iron. Those with the Kowallek surname are also believed to have originated from the area of Bavaria in Germany.
A variant spellings of the surname includes Kowalczyk and Kowalka, which are still found today in Eastern European countries, specifically Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine. Along with variant spellings, the surname has also taken on alternate spellings, such as Kowalick, whose origin still modified from the German-based surnames starting with "Kowal".
The most common spelling of the Kowallek name is Kowalski, which is also found in other Eastern European countries. This particular spelling has led to the German surname Kowallak becoming a popular surname in Britain, as those immigrants brought the name over with them.
Overall, the Kowallek surname presents many variations in spelling and variations in origin that show how the surname developed over time and how it spread across Europe and even beyond.
Famous people with the name Kowallek
- John Kowallek: Professional Baseball Player
- Mary Kowallek: U.S. Army veteran and recipient of Honor Flight Wisconsin's first ever “Hero” award
- Michal Kowallek: Professional rower and Olympic medalist
- Peter Kowallek: Professional Alpine Skier and Olympic hopeful
- Stefan Kowallek: Professional Surfer and World Championship competitor
- Katherine Kowallek: Professional Olympic Swimmer
- Sarah Kowallek: Professional Cross Country Skier and two-time Olympian
- Gérard Kowallek: French actor
- Mark Kowallek: Professional Basketball Player
- Melissa Kowallek: Professional Race Car Driver