Wójcik
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Wójcik, Wojczik, Wojczyk, or Wojszyk is one of the oldest Polish surnames.
Wójcik as a toponymic surname is derived from villages Wójcia, Wójciki, as a patronymic surname from popular in medieval Central Europe, as a first name Wojciech (Adalbert), as a cognominal surname from the word wojak (warrior), as from the word wójt, chief officer of a municipality (gmina). The name could also derived from the Middle German word VOGET (taken from the Latin Avogado, meaning to call up, to help) and the term originally described someone who appeared before a court on behalf of some other party who was not permitted to make a direct representation. This would more than likely have been some ecclesiastical body which was not supposed to have any dealings with the temporal authorities. After researching various family trees, we can infer that the Wojcik family is one of honesty and courage.
Feminine forms are Wójcik, Wójcikówna, Wójcikowa. Over the centuries, from many dialects arose multiple spellings for the Wójcik surname, including Wojczyk, Woyzeck, Wojszyk, etc.
Early record of the Wójcik surname may be found in the Chronicles of Little Poland (13th c.) We learn the knight Wójcik was a companion of King Wladyslaw of Poland and a member of his bodyguard. From medieval Łęczyca Court Files (14th c.). (In 1395 Michno Wójcik of Wójciki pursued legal action against City of Łęczyca for take back an illegally annexed part of his estate during his absence.)
Very rare noble families Wójcik bear different coats of arms:
- Wójcik of Bialynia
- Wójcik and Wojczyk of Pobog
- Wójcik and Wójcikowski of Korab
- Wójcik of German origin: Silver, an eagle black, crowned gold.
- de Wojcza, Wojczik and Wojszyk of Ogończyk
- Wójcik and Wójsik of Ostoja
- Wojszyk of Szeliga
- Wojszek and Wójszyk of Łodzia
- Wójcik of Lubicz
- Wojsik and Wojszik of Łabędź
- Wojszek and Wojszik of Piława
- Wójsik and Wojszyk of Janina
- In the 17th century appeared the family Wójcikiewicz (derived from name of son of Wójcik) of the Białynia coat of arms, and Wójcikowski of the Nałęcz coat of arms.
However, most families bearing the surnames Wójcik, Wójczyk, Wojszik, etc., (c. 90%) are derived from peasantry or burghers, as a result of popular adoptions of this surname between 17th and 19th century. These families derived their surname from the named office of wójt, (municipality (gmina) chiefa or first name Wojciech: son of Wojciech is also Wojcik.
[edit] Wójcik surname in voivodships
- Wojcik in Lublin Land (12,937),
- Wojcik in Lesser Poland (13,347),
- Wojcik in Silesia (11,440),
- Wojcik in Lower Silesia (7,046),
[edit] Famous people
- Krzesław de Wójcia (presently Wójcza) of Ogończyk coat of arms, king's castellan of capital city Kraków (1387-1390)
- Krzesław de Wójcia Wojszik alias Wojczik of Ogończyk coat of arms, king's Court officer Podkomorzy (succamerarius, praefectus cubiculi) (1458)
- Jan Wojszyk of Ogończyk coat of arms, Kustosz (custos) of capital city Kraków 15th c.
- First Lieutenant Łukasz Wójcik of Pobog coat of arms, Polish 1st Light Cavalry Regiment of the Guards in Napoleon's Campaign
- Captain Franciszek Wójcik of Pobog, Polish-Russian war of 1831-1832
- Franciszek Wójcik, Kingdom of Galicia Parliament's member (Austrian monarchy), member of Polish Circle
- Lieutenant Commander- Major Feliks Wójcik of Pobog, in Russian-Japan war of 1904-1905
- Lieutenant-Colonel Jan Wójcik, commander of the Polish 2nd Legions' Infantry Division in 1939 Campaign
- Janusz Wójcik, Polish politician and former football player and coach.
- Keuprulian-Wójcik or Wójcik-Keuprulian
