Many Slavic
family names have been changed into German family names
in the past. Especially if your ancestors are from the
district of Lüneburg and the
east part of the German Empire (east of the river Elbe).
What was the
reason for the name change?
Large parts of
the later German Empire were settled for many hundreds
of years by Slavic tribes. After the Germans conquered
the land between the 9th and 11th
century the survived Slavs were restricted in their
rights. To make their burden easier many Slavic families
adopted the German language and their culture, and many
changed their family name.
Example:
Wrobl become
Robel or
Sperling
Zahrodnik become
Gärtner
Pincar become Keller (or
Kellerman)
Dwórnik
become Hofman (or Hoffmann)
If you have
traced your ancestors back and have not been able to
find the name then this might be your clue to search for
a changed name.
Germanized
Slavic family names
A
B C D
E F G
H I J
K L M
N O P
R S T
U V W
Z
(The
spelling of the names may vary) |
German
family name |
Slavic
family
name |
|
|
A
|
|
B
Bach, Bachmann
Buck
Buchholz
Büttner
Buhr
Buss
|
Rěčka
Puzia
Buk
Bětnar
Bur
Puza
|
C
|
|
D
Dehme
Deutschman(n),
Dutschman(n)
|
Demas
Němc,
Nemic |
E
|
|
F
Fischer
Fliege
Freytag
Frost
Fuchs
Fuhrman(n)
|
Rybak
Mucha(c)
Piatek
Mroß, Mros(s),
Mrosek
Liška
Pohonč, Wóznik
|
G
Gö(h)ring
Goldman(n)
Grüner,
Grünman(n)
|
Korink
Zlotoch
Zielensky
|
H
Heinz
Herberger
Hof(f)man(n)
Huhn
|
Hinc,
Hinz
Korčmar
Dvornik,
Dwórnik
Kokos(s)ka,
Kokoška |
I and J
Jäger
|
Hajnik,
Hajnk
|
K
Kater
Kästner
Kirschner
Klein
Kluge
Köhlig
König, Könne(c)ke
Kohl
Kokel
Koss
Kowne(c)k
Krebs
Kretschmer
Kubi(c)k
|
Kocor
Tyska
Wisnewski,
Wišnjewski
Małki, Małušk
Mudrak
Kolik
Konieczki, Kral
Kobs
Kokla, Kokula
Koska, Kozka
Kownacki
Rak
Korčmar
Kupiec
|
L
Lehman(n)
Liesl
|
Wičas
Lis,
Lys
|
M
Mäl(l)ing,
Mähling
Man(n)
Matzek
Motz
Möller, Müller,
Müllner,
Mildner
|
Malinka
Muskewicz
Mazek
Madźelewski
Mlynar, Młynk
|
N
Nadol
Neuman(n)
Nitz
|
Nadolni, Nadolny
Nowak, Nowotka,
Nowotny
Niedźwedź
|
O
|
|
P
Pech
Pick
Plewe
|
Smoła,
Smolski
Pycko,
Pyko
Plewka
|
R
Rath
Reers
Richter
Ried
Robel
Rock
Röh
Röse(c)ke
Rößler
Russe(c)k
Rutz
|
Rataj
Rera
Šołta, Šołtka
Rydiewski
Ropel, Wróbl
Roga, Kursina
Rowa
Róžak
Róžnik
Ruchac
Ruczka, Ruczko
|
S
Sadlow,
Sedlow,
Sedlon
Samstag
Saur,
Sauer
Schäfer
Schenk
Schmied(t)
Schmole
Schol(t)ze
Schur
Seeg
Siegel
Sperling
|
Sadlo, Sedlo
Sobotka
Žur
Wowčerk(a)
Korčmar
Kowar(k),
Kowalewski
Smoła, Smoslki
Šołtka,
Šołta
Žur
Zegac
Sigala
Wróbl
|
T
Töpfer
Treetz
|
Hornčer
Tredzik
|
U
|
|
V
|
|
W
Wagenknecht
Waldman(n)
Weiß, Weis(s)
Widow
Wirt
Wohn
Woite,
Woito
Wolf(f), Wulf(f)
|
Pohonč,
Wóznik
Lěsak
Bělk,
Bělic
Wittowski
Korčmar
Wonsiewski
Woydak,
Woydek
Wylk,
Wjelk |
Z
Ziehman(n)
Zink
Zizow
Zobel
|
Simanczik,
Symank
Szianka
Cieso
Sobol |
|
|