Surname Cieslak - Meaning and Origin
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Cieslak: What does the surname Cieslak mean?
The surname Cieslak is a common Polish last name. It is believed to have originated in the south-western part of Poland. The name is derived from the words "ciesło," meaning a steep, wooded hill, and "ak," which means a clearing. Thus, the literal translation of Cieslak is “clearing on a hill.” The name could also refer to someone who lives of or near a wooded hill.
The coat-of-arms of the Cieslak family is a clustered tree with the roots extending to the ground. It is meant to represent strength and stability. The Cieslak surname may be derived from the name of an early ancestor, Cieslaus, or from an old form of the word for a steep wooded hill, ciesło. The Cieslak name originated from the slopes of the Tatry Mountains on the Polish - Slovak border.
Cieslak is a unique Polish name that was originally associated with the region of Tatra Mountains. It is believed to have originated in the south-western part of Poland and is a proud name with a deeply-rooted history. It is also quite common, and is mentioned in many Polish documents dating back to the 15th century. To this day, the Cieslak family continues to add to their rich heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisCieslak: Where does the name Cieslak come from?
The last name Cieslak is most commonly found in Poland today. It originated in the Silesian region of Poland back in the 13th century. After World War II, it started to spread out from this region, mainly towards the cities of Wroclaw, Lodz, Poznan, and Krakow among others. Today, it is one of the 30 most popular last names in Poland with around 33,000 persons bearing the surname. According to recent statistics, the vast majority (nearly 70%) of Cieslaks can be found in the Silesia region with the remaining spread out mainly towards the northern and western parts of Poland. The surname is especially concentrated in the cities of Zabrze and Gliwice in Silesia.
Internationally, the Cieslak last name can be found mainly in Canada, the United States and Germany. The majority of these persons descended from those who immigrated from Poland in the 1950s. In the United States, the last is mostly found in the Chicago area, where there are several thousand Cieslaks. It is also present in smaller numbers in states such as New York, Wisconsin and Michigan.
The last name Cieslak has a unique origin and history in the Silesian region of Poland. Today, it is still found mainly in Poland, however there are also smaller numbers of it around the world due to people of Polish descent.
Variations of the surname Cieslak
The surname Cieslak is of Slavic origin; it translates to "son of Ćesi" coming from the given name Ćesław, which means "brilliant glory". This surname appears in a variety of different forms depending on the language.
Polish variants of the surname include Ciesłak, Cieślak, Cieślarczyk, Cesławek, Cieślicka, and Ciecierski. Ukrainian variations include Ceslavs'kyj, cieślak, Ciesielski, and Czesłavskyy. Belarusian versions are Chyaslaŭ, Chyeslau, and Chhyaeslau.
Russian spellings are Cheselakov and Cheselakova.
Other spellings found within the region include Chyslazk, Cisheslav, Czysyla, Cysylak, Tshysylak, Tsheselak, and Tscheslok.
Alternative surnames of the same origin include Ćiesiel'ski, Tshyshlak, Ceslavskyy, Chialkovich, Chialkovsky, Chialkouski, and Tschesnik. All of these surnames are derived from the same given name Ćesław, indicating that the family sharing the surname is likely all related in some way.
Famous people with the name Cieslak
- Mary Lou Cieslak: Polish American actress, best known for her roles in TV shows such as "Saturday Night Live," "Cheers," and "One Day at a Time."
- Mark Cieslak: American football safety who played for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League (NFL) from 1980 to 1984.
- Steven Cieslak: American musician, producer and songwriter, best known for his work as a guitarist and member of the progressive rock band Glass Hammer.
- David Cieslak: Polish American film and television director, best known for his work on the series "Breaking Bad," "Breaking In," and "The Clown and the Coin."
- John Cieslak: Polish American actor, best known for his roles in films such as "A Quilting Party" and "The Stitchery."
- Rob Cieslak: American soccer player, who is currently playing with the National Premier Soccer League team AZTECA FC.
- Philip Cieslak: Polish American actor, best known for his roles in television shows such as "The Karate Kid," "Scandal" and "Melrose Place."
- Colton Cieslak: Canadian ice hockey player in the Ontario Hockey League for the Hamilton Bulldogs.
- Michał Cieslak: Polish lacrosse player, best known for his work with the Polish franchise Krakow Sharks and the Canadian professional league Rock Elite.
- Czesław Cieslak: Polish film and television director, known for his work on the film "Krzyż (The Cross)" and the television series "Smoleńsk."