Stanislaw

Recorded in many forms including Stanislaw, Stanislawski, (Polish) Stanislav (Czech) Stanislavsky (Russian), and many diminutives and patronymics such as Stanic, Stanek, Stanczyk, Staniisz and apparently Stanex, as well as Staniak, Stasiak and Stanilwicz, this is a surname of Polish and Slavonic origins. It derives from the pre 7th century elements 'stan' meaning to become, with 'slav' meaning glory or fame, to creat the personal name of Stanislaw borne by several kings of Poland. To these was sometimes attached the suffix '-ski' which in medieval Polish was equivalent to the German 'von' or the French 'de'. As such it implied at least minor nobility, and certainly land ownership. Unfortunately few early recordings have survived from these times. Poland in particular has suffered over the centuries from the greed of her neighbours, who have all sought and often succeeded in seizing lands from her. As such there has been continual upheaval leading to a failure to adequately protect historical artefacts such as the ancient rolls, charters and registers. Indeed these were often deliberately destroyed in particular by the Russian Communists to try to remove any reminders of the past.