Lubomirski - Name

This noble and distinguished surname, of medieval Polish origin, is borne by the princes of Krakov, of Warszawa, and by the Counts of Wisnicz and Sandomierz. The derivation is from the Slavic male given name "Lubomir", a compound of the elements "lubo", kind, with "mir", peace. The second component of two-element names was usually "slav", glory or "mir", peace, and warlike - romantic -sentimental names were generally preferred by the Slavonic peoples. The Polish suffix "ski" originally indicated association with a manor or estate, and was equivalent to the French "de" and the German "von", and so indicative of gentry status. Later, the suffix was much more widely used to form surnames, being attached to given names and occupational names as well as to habitation names. The "ski" ending is inflected as "ska" for feminine bearers. In 1539, the birth of Count Sebastyan Lubomirski was recorded in Wisnicz, Krakowskiego, and in 1691, Countess Katarzyna Lubomirska, daughter of Prince Josef Karol Lubomirski and Teafila Ludwika Princess Zaslawska, was born in Sandomierz, Kieleckiego, Poland. An early Coat of Arms granted to this illustrious family is a red shield charged with a silver bend wavy. In ancient times, the bend was the shoulder belt of the warrior's armament, and signifies Defense and Protection. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Stanislaw Lubomirski, which was dated 1513, in the Birth Registers of Wisnicz, Krakowskiego, Poland, during the reign of Sigismund 1, who obtained the title of "The Great", 1506 - 1548. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.