Abstract
This paper explores the influence of feudal and patriarchal social structures on the development of the Polish anthroponymic system between the 17th and 19th centuries – a period marked by significant social, political, and linguistic transformations in the territory of modern-day Poland, located in Central Europe. Based on surname data drawn from historical parish records, the research investigates how naming conventions reflected and reinforced both hierarchical and gendered social relations within Polish society. The study focuses on surnames assigned to men and women across different social strata – including the nobility, urban burghers, and rural peasantry – and highlights the asymmetry in surname inheritance and formation driven by patriarchal norms. The analysis shows that male surnames tended to stabilize earlier and reflected social status more directly, while female names remained more fluid, strongly influenced by marital status and family ties to male relatives. The social position of women – traditionally defined by roles as wives, mothers, or domestic workers – significantly shaped the development of female naming conventions. Women were identified through their relationships to men, either via suffix-based forms like Anna Szymalszczanka (from the surname Szymalski + the suffix -anka, used to denote a daughter or wife) or Latin phrases like uxor eius (‘his wife’) or mater eius (‘his mother’). The research also addresses the role of feudal dependency, with occupational, locative, and patronymic elements revealing rigid social ties. This study contributes to broader discussions on how language encodes social hierarchy and gender identity in historical contexts.
Presenters
Agata ŁojekPhD Student, Institute of Polish Language, University of Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Communications and Linguistic Studies
KEYWORDS
ONOMASTICS, ANTHROPONYMY, FEUDAL SOCIETY, NAMING CONVENTIONS
