Kaczmarek
A Polish surname originally referring to a tavern-keeper, innkeeper, or chamberlain-like attendant.
The #8,184 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 76,196 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Kaczmarek is a Polish surname built from the word kaczmarz or kaczmarek, an older regional term for a tavern-keeper, innkeeper, or similar service worker. The name ultimately reflects an occupational label rather than a place name. The ending -ek is a common Polish diminutive or surname-forming element, which can give the word a familiar or reduced sense.
History
The surname is strongly associated with Poland and Polish diaspora communities. Like many Polish occupational surnames, it became hereditary over time and was carried abroad through migration to other parts of Europe and North America. In the United States it is found mainly among families of Polish ancestry.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname preserves an old occupational word that is less familiar today than the more common Polish term karczmarz, both connected with innkeeping and tavern work.