Surname Kowalis - Meaning and Origin
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Kowalis: What does the surname Kowalis mean?
The last name Kowalis has a Greek origin. It is derived from the Greek word "Kouvalis", meaning "herald or a crier". It is used to describe a person who communicates public messages, announcements and warnings. The name can be found in different forms - one of its variations being Kavallaris.
The term Kowalis may have originally referred to a public messenger? someone who traveled with caravans and informed the people of news and news-worthy events. The name could also have been given to a herald of a noble house, or an army lieutenant. This historically significant surname is believed to have a connection to someone with a previous line of work related to communication.
Some of the families with this surname can be traced back to the 10th century to a region in Greece, mainly the area around Attica and Euboea. Over time, the families with this surname immigrated to other parts of the world, with many of them making a home in the United States.
Modern variations of the name, such as Kovanlis, Kavales, Kowalis, and Kowalewski, are still used today. Although not commonly found in modern times, the surname Kowalis is not forgotten. It is still used by some people to signify the historical and cultural significance of communication, and to honor the bearers of this surname.
Order DNA origin analysisKowalis: Where does the name Kowalis come from?
The last name Kowalis is mainly found in Slavic countries of Europe, such as Poland, Ukraine, Croatia, and Russia. It is also found in the United States, notably in the Midwest and Great Lakes region.
The origin of the Kowalis last name comes from the ancient Slavic language of old Slavonic, which was mainly used in the countries of the former Yugoslavia and Central and Eastern European countries. Its exact meaning is uncertain, but some suggest it is related to the word "koza," meaning goat.
In Poland, the Kowalis last name is associated with the city of Szczecin, situated in western Poland, near the countries of Germany and the Czech Republic. This is where many people of Kowalis heritage resided before migrating to the United States and elsewhere.
Kowalis is also known for being the name of a small village in the eastern Polish region, which is close to the Ukranian border. This is the present day Kowaliszcze which was part of the historic region of Ruthenia.
It is thought that the Kowalis last name is also found in Ukraine. For instance, the surname can be traced to the city of Rovno, located in the western part of the country.
Finally, the Kowalis surname also appears in the United States, particularly in the states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana. This is likely due to the presence of Polish immigrants who settled in such states in the 19th century.
Variations of the surname Kowalis
The surname Kowalis is a Polish surname most commonly found in Poland and in the United States. The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include: Kowalewska, Kowalczuk, Kowalewski, Kowalik, Kowalko, Kowalczyk, Kowalik, Kowalska, Kowalski, and Kowaluski.
Kowalewska is the feminized version of the surname. This surname is a combination of the noun ‘kowal’, meaning blacksmith, however the suffix -ewska likely means ‘daughter of’ or ‘belonging to’ or ‘kind’. This suffix is a popular name suffix in many parts of Eastern Europe and is used to denote family connection. In instances when the surname has been feminized it is also used to denote female family members.
Kowalczuk is another variant of the surname. This surname is similar to Kowalewska but with a different suffix -czuk, denoting a ‘son of’ or ‘little one of’. As this suffix is typically used in Eastern European surnames it also suggests a connection to family.
Kowalewski is another variant based on the same root word for the blacksmith occupation ‘kowal’. The suffix -ewski likely means ‘of or belonging to’.
Kowalik is a more commonly spelled variant for Kowalis. The suffix -ik indicates small size or affection, whilst the root word ‘kowal’ carries the same meaning as the other variants.
Kowalko is another variant of the surname, stemming from the root ‘kowal’. The suffix -ko implies inhabitant or possibly family connection.
Kowalczyk is a popular variant of the surname, where the suffix -czyk denotes son of or small size.
Kowalska is the feminine version of Kowalczyk, where the suffix -ska denotes the “daughter of” or “kind of” relationship.
Kowalski is another appealing variant of the surname. The suffix -ski normally means habitational origin or someone who comes from a place with a particular name.
Kowaluski is the final variant of the surname. This surname is an altered version of Kowalski, however the -uski suffix normally indicates someone who comes from a particular location with a particular name.
Famous people with the name Kowalis
- Emil Kowalis: a Canadian dancer and choreographer born in 2008
- Artur Kowalis: a former multi-sport competitor from Poland, who was part of the national Polish team at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Marek Kowalis: a Polish sailor, who competed in both the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics
- Elizabeth Kowalis: a Canadian alpine ski racer
- Wladyslaw Kowalis: a Polish modern pentathlete who competed in the 1960 and 1964 Summer Olympics
- Bronislaw Kowalis: a Polish footballer who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics
- Jeff Kowalis: an American voice actor
- Iwona Kowalis: a Polish fencer who competed at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics
- Zenon Kowalis: a Polish sprint canoer who competed in the late 1960s
- Przemysław Kowalis: a Polish handball player, who competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics