Surname Kotlicki - Meaning and Origin

Kotlicki: What does the surname Kotlicki mean?

The surname Kotlicki is a Polish and East European toponymic surname, meaning someone from the village of Kotlica in Poland. The name likely originated as a patronymic used to designate a person identified as the son of someone who came from Kotlica.

Kotlica itself is derived from the Old Slavic term kotlitsch, which translates literally to “river corpse”—a reference to an area where dead livestock was disposed of. This term may indicate that the surname is associated with the trade of flaying deceased animals and selling their hides.

The name is most common in Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, and Lithuania. A variant of the name, Kotlya, is also common in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. Approximately 1,065 people in the world today bear the last name Kotlicki.

The names Kotlica, Kotlya, Kotlicki, and their variants can also be found in other contexts, such as in literature, music, and the naming of towns and rivers. For example, the Sergey Yesenin museum in the town Kotlica, Russia was named after a famous Russian poet. Also, the element”Kotl" appears in many place-names throughout the countries of Eastern Europe, suggesting that the name has become deeply embedded in local culture and society.

In summary, the surname Kotlicki is a Polish and East European toponymic surname derived from the Old Slavic term kotlitsch, referring to the village of Kotlica in Poland and implying an association with the trade of flaying deceased animals. The name is most common in Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, and Lithuania and is also found in literature, music, and the naming of towns and rivers.

Kotlicki: Where does the name Kotlicki come from?

The last name Kotlicki is found today primarily in Poland and the surrounding countries, though its presence has also been documented in the United States and parts of Western Europe. The Kotlicki name is most commonly associated with the city of Szczecin in western Poland, a historically Slavic-speaking region known for its maritime tradition. It is estimated that around 2,000 people in Poland bear the last name Kotlicki, with a significant percentage still living in Szczecin and its environs.

The surname appears among those who settled in the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth during its 18th century heyday. However, the name is also found among more recently emigrated Poles who escaped the political turmoil of World War II, many of whom settled in the United States and elsewhere in the West. Those who emigrated during this extended period of displacement experienced great upheavals, which led to the diffusion of the last name.

In United States census records, those bearing the Kotlicki name are identified as coming from Poland, though it is not clear if they were long-time residents or part of the wave of newcomers seeking asylum from war-torn Europe.

Tracing the history of family surnames back centuries can be a difficult task, often requiring sifting through archival records. Nonetheless, those bearing the Kotlicki name can take pride in their origin story and be comforted in the knowledge that people bearing their last name can still be found in many parts of the world, including on their home shores in Poland.

Variations of the surname Kotlicki

The surname Kotlicki is of Polish origin and can be found in spellings such as Kotlicki, Kotlik, Kotylicki, Kotalicki, Kotowicz, Kołtyła, and Kołtek. All these variants share the same root and are most likely derived from the name of the village of Kotlice, located in the Legnicki district of northern Poland. This area of Poland was known for its rich natural resources such as lumber, fur, and honey production, which could explain why the surname Kotlicki was first used to denote a person who worked in a related occupation, such as a carpenter or beekeeper.

Today, the surname Kotlicki is more commonly used as an occupational name than a hereditary one. Common spellings of the name are Kotlicki, Kotlik, Kotowicz, and Kotylicki and is found in many countries and regions with significant Polish settlements, such as the US, Canada, Argentina, and Germany. The Kotlicki surname can also be found in many Slavic countries, such as Czech Republic, Belarus, and Slovakia.

As the surname Kotlicki is often more linked to an occupation, another related surname is Kołtek. This is thought to be derived from the word 'kołtek', which very nearly translates to a 'beekeeper', further linking the surname to the profession.

Finally, there is one other possible descent of the surname Kotlicki; Kołtyła. This is thought to have derived from the Slavic word ‘kołtyła’, meaning ‘wheel turner’ or ‘spinner’, which would suggest an individual who either built or maintained wooden wheels. Overall, whatever variant of the Kotlicki surname is present in a family tree, they can be sure of having descended from a remarkably industrious ancestry.

Famous people with the name Kotlicki

• Krzysztof Kotlicki: Polish-born FIBA Referee
• Stephen Kotlicki: AI Engineer at Microsoft
• Kazimierz Kotlicki: Polish Actor
• Michael Kotlicki: Retired Tailor from Florida
• Julius Kotlicki: Pasture expert and Survivalist
• Weronika Kotlicki: Figure Skater from Poland
• Mateusz Kotlicki: Professional Football player from Poland
• Katarzyna Kotlicki: Professional Boxer from Poland
• Ewa Kotlicki: Well-Known Cardiologist from Poland
• Zbigniew Kotlicki: Aeronautical Engineer from Poland

Other surnames

Kotlicky