Surname Pietrak - Meaning and Origin
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Pietrak: What does the surname Pietrak mean?
The last name Pietrak is of Polish origin and is mostly found throughout central and eastern Europe. The etymological meaning of Pietrak is derived from the Polish "piętrowy," which translates to "row" or "tier." Therefore, the surname Pietrak likely refers to a person whose family resided in a village that was partitioned into different tiers or rows.
The name may also refer to a family who was skilled in the craft of growing orchards and vineyards. In Polish, "piętra" (pronounced "pyehn-tra") refers to a type of terracing used to help cultivate orchards and vineyards on hilly terrain. This explains why the surname could also be related to the Greek "petros," meaning "stone," referencing the fact that stone terraces were commonly used to construct fields on hills.
Overall, the surname Pietrak likely has an agricultural and/or geographical origin. It may refer to a family who either lived in a partitioned village or were highly skilled in the craft of hilly farming and terracing. Either way, the last name Pietrak has a long history in Polish culture, dating back many centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisPietrak: Where does the name Pietrak come from?
The last name Pietrak is thought to be of Polish origin. Today, it is a common surname in parts of Europe, particularly in Poland and Slovakia. Those with this last name may be found in other countries throughout the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and other parts of Europe.
In Poland, the last name can be traced back to the late 14th century and was first recorded in the Eastern region of Galicia. It’s derived from a root name and was used as descriptive language to distinguish family members. It was used for various individuals in that area, sometimes as a nickname, but most often as a given name or surname.
In the United States, the 2000 census reported the name Pietrak to be scattered throughout the region, with most concentrated in New York, Michigan, Illinois, and Connecticut. In Australia, it’s present in several major cities, such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth.
The last name is also apparent in Canada, where those with the last name Pietrak are mostly living in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba. In addition, those with Pietrak ancestry have spread out to other countries including the United Kingdom, France, The Netherlands, and New Zealand.
Variations of the surname Pietrak
Pietrak is a Polish surname and has several variations, spellings and other surnames which may indicate that the same person or family is related. Variants of the name include Pietrzak, Pietraszak, Pierzak, Pyetrak and Pyetrzak. Other related names incorporate the Polish prefixes such as Pyetrowski.
The surname can also change depending on the region of Poland where it originates from with the addition of either 'ski', 'cki', 'dzki' or 'ny'. For example, Pietrak can also be spelled as Pietraski, Pietracki, Pietradski, and Pietrany.
In some cases, the original spelling has changed – for example, 'trz' can be changed to 'szc' or 'sch' and 'y' can be changed to 'i' or 'e'. So, a variant of Pietrak could include Pietrasch, Pietreski or Pietrezak.
It is also common for Polish last names to be modified with the change of a person's given name. For example, if a male is named Piotr then the surname could be changed to Piotrak, and if a female is named Patrycja then the surname could be changed to Patrycjak.
The surname Pietrak can also be found in other countries, such as Russia, where it is spelled as Petrak. In the United States, the spelling may also be commonly found as Petrak. In France, Belgium and Germany, the surname can also be found with a variety of spelling variations, such as Pietreck, Pietrag, Pyetraz and Petrag.
Famous people with the name Pietrak
- Stan Pietrak, Polish weightlifter
- Bill Pietrak, former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Piotr Pietrek, Polish-Canadian prize-winning physicist
- Martyna Pietrak, professional golfer
- Jairo Pietrac, Brazilian singer
- Marek Pietrak, professional wooden flute maker
- Adam Pietrak, Polish cross-country skier
- Paulina Pietrak, Polish Runway and Print Model
- Maciej Pietrak, Polish musician
- Krystyna Pietrak, Polish Chess Champion