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Retained profile for the former
Tomaszewski One-Name Study

This study is no longer registered with the Guild, but this profile page has been retained at the member's request. Please note that neither officers nor members of the Guild are able to answer any questions about this study.

About the study

TOMASZEWSKI : My name is Nicholas Eugene Tomaszewski. I was born in Canterbury, Kent, England in 1943. My father was born in Poland and came to England in 1940. My mother is English. I have always had a fascination with my surname, maybe it is because it is such an unusual one, certainly within the British Isles. Some thirty years ago I decided to embark on a study of the name. Since the fall of communism in Poland - where the name originates - it has been a lot easier to access documentation there and, indeed, in Poland over the past few years there has been a huge interest shown in genealogy and family history which was never encouraged under the communist regime. I am always willing to share the results of my research with other like-minded enthusiasts. I therefore welcome contact with other Tomaszewskis. NB: Throughout these pages I have not used the accents common to the Polish language.

Variant names

In Poland the surname Tomaszewski is spelt universally in this fashion, with the feminine rendered -Tomaszewska. It is pronounced Tomash - ev - ski. Because the name dispersed throughout the whole of the Slavic world its spelling would, through history, undergo various changes. For instance Russia has a Cyrillic alphabet as opposed to the Polish, Roman alphabet. When immigrants arrived in America and other places of intended settlement, officials in those countries would have recorded their new arrivals from those Slavic lands phonetically. Here is a list of variations of the spelling of the surname which is by no means exhaustive: Tomaszewski, Tomaszewska, Tomashevski, Tomashefski, Tomashefsky, Tomasheski, Tomasheffski, Tomaszewsky, Tomaschewski, Tomaszowski, Tomszowski, Thomaschefsky, Thomasewski. Tomasiewskiej. Variations of the surname include: In Poland: Thomalla, Thoman, Thomas, Toma, Tomajko, Tomaka, Tomal, Tomala, Tomalak, Tomalik, Tomalski, Toman, Tomana, Tomanek, Tomas, Tomasek, Tomasiak, Tomasiewicz, Tomasik, Tomaszkiewicz, Tomasko, Tomasz, Tomaszczuk, Tomaszczyk, Tomaszek,Tomaszewicz, Tomaszuk, Tomaszynski, Tomczak, Tomczewski, Tomczuk, Tomczyk,Tomczynski, Tomczyszyn, Tomecki , Tomeczko,Tomera, Tomiak, Tomicki, Tomiczek, Tomilo, Tomillo, Tomkiel, Tomkiewicz, Tomkievicius, Tomkow, Tomkowiak, Tomkowicz, Tomkowski, Tomon, Tomosinski, Tomsia, Tomski, Tomys, Tomzik. Tuma, Tuman, Tumanowicz, Tumas, Tumasz, Tumczyk, Tumialis, Tumiel, Tumielewicz, Tumilowicz, Tuminski, Tumkiewicz, Tumulka. German (under Slav influence): Tom(as)ek, Tomaschek, Tomaschke, Domaschke, Damaschke, Domschke, Tomisch. Czech: Tomasek, Tomanek, Tomecek, Tomek. Byelorussian: Tomashov, Tomashevich Croatian: Tomasevic, Tom(ov)ic Armenian: Tomasian, Tumasian, Tumayan The most common names in this group in Britain are Thomas itself and Thompson. Both are widely distributed throughout the country. Thomas is especially common in Wales and Cornwall, while Thompson is rather more common in N.England. Thomson is especially common in Scotland (although not exclusively Scottish).

Name origin

The Polish surname Tomaszewski contains the element - Tomasz - the equivalent of the English Christian name Thomas. To determine the origin we must go back to the apostles - the original twelve followers of Jesus Christ. Thomas (1st Century) is mentioned in all four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. According to the Gospel of St. John, Thomas was termed 'Didymus' (meaning 'twin'). He was present at the Last Supper but famously was absent at the moment of Christ's Resurrection. When he was subsequently told of it by the other apostles he declined to believe what he was hearing until Christ appeared to him and allowed him to touch his wounds, upon which Thomas expressed immediate conviction. He is often referred to as 'Doubting Thomas' on the strength of this episode. (John 20:24-29). It is unclear what became of Thomas after these events. One tradition has it that he preached the gospel in India and may have died the death of a martyr when speared at Mylapore near Madras. Another claims that he spent the rest of his life evangelizing in Parthia. Thomas is honoured as the patron saint of builders and architects ( a reference to the legend that he once built a heavenly palace for an Indian king) and theologians. St.Thomas's Feast Day is 3rd July. The Greek name Thomas comes from the Aramaic Toma', of which the Greek translation is Didymus, 'Twin'. The Christian name Thomas does not appear to be common among the general populace during the early establishment of the Christian church. It was, however, used by monks and wandering missionaries spreading the gospel throughout Europe. Christianity reached England in 597 AD via St. Augustine, although sporadic visits from missionaries had spread the word in parts of the British Isles centuries before. In Poland Mieszko 1st (c 922 - 992) who ruled a large group of Slavic tribes known as the Polanians brought his people into the world of western culture and Latin literacy and was himself baptised a Christian in 966 AD. This is the year Poland has adopted as the arrival of the Christian faith in that land. Mieszko's grandson was King Canute of Denmark and England. Although the name Thomas was unpopular at first it swept to a foremost position following the murder of St Thomas Becket in Canterbury in 1170. The murder of Thomas in his own cathedral sent reverberations through the whole of Europe and sealed the popularity of the name throughout Christendom. (In 1939 Thomas was the 11th most popular name in U.S.A.). Thomas is revered in the Roman Catholic church and the Eastern Orthodox church. He is remembered each year on St. Thomas's Sunday. Churches throughout the Christian world would be dedicated to St. Thomas of Canterbury known as Swienty Tomasz in Poland. Thomas Becket (1118-1170) was born of noble Norman descent in London. He studied canon law abroad before being made deacon and archdeacon of Canterbury in 1154. Later he became archbishop. Thomas fell out of favour with the king - Henry 11 - who in a fit of pique hinted, probably unwittingly, that he wanted his turbulent archbishop dead. Four knights immediately set out for Canterbury and there murdered Thomas Becket as he prayed in his own cathedral. St Thomas Becket's shrine at Canterbury (destroyed by Henry V111 in 1538) became the most celebrated site of pilgrimage in Christendom. His Feast Day is remembered on 29th December. Several worthies in European history bore the Christian name Thomas after the death of St Thomas Becket. ie. Thomas a' Kempis, St Thomas Aquinas. The murder of Thomas Becket in his own cathedral bore a parallel with the matryrdom of the Patron Saint of Poland, St Stanislaw. Stanislaw was hacked to death by the King of Poland, Boleslaw the Bold, in a church near Krakow in the year 1079. St. Stanislaw is remembered on his Feast Day 11th April. A MEDIEVAL HYMN TO ST.THOMAS OF CANTERBURY IS RENDERED THUS: Novus miles sequitur viam novi Regis Bonus pastor patitur pro salute gregis. Tomas agni sanguine lavat stolae gemine purpuram rubentem. Res est satis evidens quod illustrat accidens totum orientem. Opus erat medico mundo morienti Et gregi domenico pastore prudenti. Sanguins Tomae medici mundi paralytici vulnera sanavit. Clamat grex dominicus quod Anglorum medicus mundum renovavit. Toma, nati parvuli miles triumphalis, Sis cleri, sis populipastor spiritalis Audi Legicestriam cierum et militiam, eius ita rege Ut regent in patria peracta militia cum eterno rege. FINIS In Poland Tomasz Zamoyski gave his name to the town of Tomaszow Lubelski, first mentioned in 1615. Later still Tomasz Arciszewski (1877-1955) distinguished himself in the politics of Poland. Native Polish surnames, just as surnames of other Slavic nations , can be roughly divided into three main groups: Those derived from from original nicknames, as names of animals, trees, things, professions, etc. Those derived from the Christian name or profession of the father (Patronymics) Those derived from names of towns, villages, region, etc. (Toponymics) The surname Tomaszewski probably originated thus: 1) At some point in Polish history a village or homestead is inhabited by a person named Tomasz (Thomas). 2) People naturally referred to this place as Thomas's place (Tomaszow). As in Tomaszow Gorny, Tomaszow Lubelski, Tomaszow Mazowiecki. 3) Later when surnames were forming it seemed natural to call someone from that place (Tomaszow) Tomaszewski - one from the place of or related to Tomasz (Thomas). Possibly 'son of Tomasz'. 4) Tomaszewskis, during the course of history and population movements, took their surname all over Poland and, indeed, the world. Thr process of forming Polish surnames lasted several centuries. The noble classes originally used 'clan' names which later survived in the names of their coat of arms. Particular families within a clan used a surname derived from the name of the village they owned. when the family moved it was usual to change the surname as well. Those surnames usually ended in -ski or - cki, which gave birth to the common assumption that such suffixes prove a noble birth. Since at least the 17th century the surnames of noble families became fixed and were inherited by foillowing generations. These remain in that form from those times until today. A branch of the family Tomaszewski was a sept of the clan Boncza and had the right to bear the Boncza Coat of Arms. The Boncza Coat of Arms was used by several szlachta families in the times of the Polish -Lithuanian Commonwealth (1386-1572). The Coat of Arms is described thus in Siebmacher's Grosses und Allgemeines Wappenbuch: Azure, a unicorn forcene argent, beard, mane and tail or; Crest: Out of a coronet or a demi unicorn as in the arms. The Coat of Arms of Boncza is shown at the top of this page. The hyphenated surname Bonzca-Tomaszewski is listed in electoral rolls in London at the time of writing (2006). Apart from the three Polish towns mentioned; Tomaszow Gorny, Tomaszow Lubelski and Tomaszow Mazowiecki other towns in Poland probably founded by a Tomasz are: Tomaszne, Tomaszowice, Tomice, Tomiczki, Tomislawice, Tomiszowice, Tomkowe. The Russian town of Tomsk may well have been founded by a Thomas.

Historical occurrences of the name

1480 In this year the Tomaszewski (and variant Tomaszowski) family was granted the right to bear the Coat of Arms of the Boncza family. This is recorded in Polskie Rody Szlacheckie I Ich Herby. Published in Bialystok Poland 2003 . By Tadeusz Gajl. 1600 Jakob Tomaszewski, mentioned in a document of 1600, distinguished himself as a gallant Cavalry Captain and was awarded a Coat of Arms for his military achievements. Source. Herbarz Polski. Lwow 1855. Hipolit Stupnicki 1664 Maciej Tomaszewski, a renowned Jesuit and composer of many hymns died in this year Source. Herbarz Polski. Lwow 1855. Hipolit Stupnicki 17th century. Justyn Tomaszewski was a monk in the order of the Barefoot Carmelites and a renowned preacher in Poland. His exemplary life gained him the admiration of the Polish King Michal Korybut Wisniowiecki (reigned 1669-1673) who provided him with funds to establish a church and monastery. Source. Herbarz Polski. Lwow 1855. Hipolit Stupnicki 1660s Dyzma Tomaszewski mentioned as a Diplomat during later 17th century. Source. Herbarz Polski. Lwow 1855. Hipolit Stupnicki 1799 Michal Tomaszewski, a Lieutenant in the Dabrowski Legion. Fought in Magano in Italy. Source. Herbarz Polski. Lwow 1855. Hipolit Stupnicki 1881 In this year the great Yiddish producer, writer and actor, Boris Thomashefsky, arrived wiith the vanguard of Ashkenazi migration from Poland to America. The city of Krakow in Poland had a Yiddish theatre giving nightly performances from the 1830s. There were many Yiddish theatres across Poland and Lithuania. Boris Thomashefsky ensured the Yiddish theatre burst into life in America. Source. The Jews. Howard Fast. Cassell London 1970. ISBN 30493528X 1884 The year of birth of Waclaw Tomaszewski, architect from the University of Gdansk. had a considerable influence on the building of the Port of Gdansk. died 1970. 1903 The year of birth of Jan Tomaszewski, born 27th January 1903 (Died 8th December 2003) who on 15th February 1947 married Princess Elizabeth Radziwill, the daughter of Prince Albrecht Radziwill and Dorothy Parker Deacon. Their children were Georges-Charles Tomaszewski born 1947, Nicolas-Christophe Tomaszewski born 1952, Alexander Tomaszewski born 1957, died 1957. 1906 The year of birth of Henryk Albin Tomaszewski, Polish glass artist and sculptor. regarded as an important precursor of the studio glass movement. Died 1993. 1918 In the year the Russian Royal Family were assassinated in Ekaterinburg the city coroner is named as Tomashevsky who heard of the killings from one Gregory Agafonov. Source. The Fate of the Romanovs. Greg King and Penny Wilson. John Wiley and Son. New Jersey. 2003 ISBN 0-471-20768-3 (Page 347) 1908 On 11th November 1908 a triple explosion, followed by a series of smaller blasts shook the Radbod Coal Mine in the Ruhr Valley in Germany. Antoni Tomaszewski was killed in the blast. A memorial to the dead was built in 1911 at Radbod. Antoni Tomaszewski is included in the Roll of Honour. Further reading. Katastrofa na Radbod. Historia Polskiej Rodziny Gorniczej w Westfalii I Jej Dalsze Losy.Eugeniusz Nowak. Poznan 2004 ISBN 83-7177-226-2 1939 The number of Tomaszewskis murdered through World War Two are probably too numerous to list. However the PolishRoots website mentions in the Black Book of Poland the execution of Dr. Tomaszewski,a Dental Surgeon, who practised in the town of Koscian near Poznan. On 23 October 1939 he was shot in the Market Place against the wall of the Town Hall. 1940 A Special Court in Kalisz, Poland passed prison sentences upon the labourers, Wladyslaw Tomaszewski, Andrzej Kawka and Stanislaw Kawka. Source. The German New Order in Poland. Published for The Polish Ministry of information by Hutchinson & Co. London. World War Two. 1941 Death sentence passed on the 34 year old village butcher, Bronislaw Tomaszewski, of Tymienice, Kalisz, Poland by the German occupying forces. Executed by beheading. In Nazi Germany it is estimated some 40,000 people were beheaded by guillotine between 1933 - 1945. Bronislaw was the uncle of Nicholas Tomaszewski, author of these pages. Documentation witnessed at the Museum of the Kalisz Region. Kalisz, Poland 2005 by Nicholas Tomaszewski 1949 In this year the Polish Government in Exile (1939-1990) appointed Tadeusz Tomaszewski to serve as Prime Minister of Poland in exile in London. Source. Website - Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia 1910 The year of birth of Tadeusz Tomaszewski, not to be confused with the former. Graduated from Jan Kazimierz University, Lwow. Exceptional figure in Polish psychology. Formulated his 'Theory of Action' throughout the 20th century. Source. The European Psychologist Vol 1. No.1. 1996 www.psycontent.com 1914 The year of birth of Henryk Tomaszewski, Artist. Free-thinking Poster Designer from Warsaw who influenced a generation. His stylistic approach dominated the genre for decades. from the 1960s to the 1980s. It directly influenced cultural and political poster designers in France, England and U.S.A. He was awarded the distinction of Honorary Royal Designer for Industry in 1975 in London for his outstanding work in graphic design. He died 11 September 2005. 1969 Wiktor Tomaszewski MD., PhD. Reader in Medicine at the University of Poznan and the Polish School of Medicine, Edinburgh publishes 'The University of Edinburgh and Poland. An Historical Review. He also wrote 'The Scotch in Poland'. 1924 The year of birth of Lubomir Tomaszewski. Born Warsaw. graduated from the Academy of Fine arts in Poland. Founded the School of Emotionalism Art. His works are now sold internationally. Currently residing in America. 1960s Marek Tomaszewski, with Waclaw Kisielewski, formed the piano duo - Marek and Wacek. They toured the world over the second half of the twentieth century. Marek now lives in Paris. During the 1960s and 1970s their work was widely known. Kisielewski was killed in a car accident in 1986. 1953 Year of birth of Tomasz Tomaszewski. World famous photographer noted for his work with National Geographic Magazine. Born Warsaw. Has won many Polish and international photo prizes. Author of many books, regular exhibitor of his photographic works internationally. 1948 Year of birth of Jan Tomaszewski - the great Polish goalkeeper. Remembered for his performance for Poland against England in a qualifier for the 1974 World Cup which England needed to win. Tomaszewski had been labelled a 'clown' by Brian Clough. Tomaszewski had the last laugh as he became 'man of the match'. His performance repeatedly denied England a victory. The final results 1-1 saw Poland go to the finals in West Germany instead. Poland went on to claim third place in the 1974 World Cup. Tomaszewski went on to win a Silver Medal with Poland at the 1976 Olympics. He now works as a commentator and Sports Journalist. Jan Tomaszewski, apart from his prowess on the football field, was responsible for publicising the surname internationally for posterity. 1997 - 1999 Janusz Tomaszewski was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration in Poland during that country's move from communism to democracy. He was dismissed from office by Polish prime Minister Jerzy Buzek in 1999 for his links with the Communist era security police. 2005 Tom Boncza-Tomaszewski writes and reviews regularly for the British newspaper 'The Independent on Sunday' . 2006 Nicholas Eugene Tomaszewski registers the surname with the Guild of One-Name Studies. FAMILY TREE FOR NICHOLAS EUGENE TOMASZEWSKI : | Adam Nicholas Tomaszewski, born 1982 at Dover, Kent, United Kingdom, the Son of | Nicholas Eugene Tomaszewski, born 1943 at Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom, the Son of | Stanislaw Waclaw Tomaszewski, born 1914 at Smolki, Kalisz, Poland, the Son of | Pawel Tomaszewski, born 1878 at Michalow, Kalisz, Poland, the Son of | Wincenty Mikolaj Tomaszewski, born 1832 at Michalow, Kalisz, Poland, the Son of | Bartlomiej Tomaszewski , born 1798 at Michalow, Poland, the Son of | Tomasz Tomaszewski (born 1749 in Kuklinow,Poland) and Rozalia Bartosz, born 1771 in Kuklinow. For a fuller genealogical tree of this branch of the Tomaszewski family was /is on familytreemaker but reference does not work: users/t/o/m/Nicholas--E-Tomaszewski/ or on miklas.pl/subpage.php?id=galeria.htm or on biblioteka.opatowek.pl/002/hist0021/mlyn0002.html or http://www.mercermillions.info/index.htm Katyn Forest Massacre. In 1940 the Soviet Government under Stalin ordered the deaths of thousands of Polish Prisoners of War from the POW Camps at Kozielsk, Ostashkov and Starobielsk. The Katyn Memorial Wall records amongst the names the following Tomaszewskis: Aleksander Mikolaj Tomaszewski, Czeslaw Tomaszewski, Henryk Tomaszewski, Henryk Wojchiec Ignacy Tomaszewski, Jan Tomaszewski, Jozef Tomaszewski (2), Karol Antoni Tomaszewski, Kazimierz Tomaszewski (2), Michal Tomaszewski, Roman Tomaszewski, Stanislaw Tomaszewski, Stefan Edward Tomaszewski, Szymon Tomaszewski (2), Tadeusz Tomaszewski, Witold Tomaszewski, Witold Marian Juliusz Tomaszewski, Wladyslaw Tomaszewski (2), Zygmunt Marian Tomaszewski

Name frequency

The greatest frequency of the surname Tomaszewski, by virtue of its origin, will be found in Poland. However this does not preclude it's distribution in the other Slavic countries of Central Europe. Poland is divided into 49 provinces (wojewodztwa). The census of 1998 recorded the distribution of the surname with it's frequency within each province. The survey recorded 38,139 individuals bearing the surname Tomaszewski throughout Poland. If we compare the two most common surnames in Poland - Nowak and Kowalski - the survey found that Nowak (Newman) was the surname of 220,217 people and Kowalski (Smith) was borne by 131,940. Tomaszewski is probably on a par with the surname Thompson in the British Isles. The breakdown by provinces for people bearing the surname Tomaszewski is thus: Warsaw: 4126, Biala Podlaska: 173, Bialystok: 483, Bielsko-Biala: 142, Bydgoszcz: 1947, Chelm: 281, Ciechanow: 494, Czestochowa:296, Elblag: 709, Gdansk: 1412, Gorzow Wielkopolski: 646, Jelenia Gora: 478, Kalisz: 1089, Katowice: 1553, Kielce: 907, Konin: 1257, Koszalin: 644, Krakow: 412, Krosno: 87, Legnica: 527, Leszno: 455, Lublin: 701, Lomza: 382, Lodz: 1843, Nowy Sacz: 35, Olsztyn: 872, Opole: 376, Ostroleka: 487, Pila: 615, Piotrkow Trybunalski: 174, Plock: 1182, Poznan: 3049, Przemysl: 407, Radom: 441, Rzeszow: 98, Siedlce: 435, Sieradz: 492, Skierniewice: 947, Slupsk: 376, Suwalki: 647, Szczecin: 925, Tarnobrzeg: 244, Tarnow: 188, Torun: 1255, Walbrzych: 591, Wloclawek: 1133, Wroclaw: 995, Zamosc: 316, Zielona Gora: 815. It will be noted that the greatest frequency of the surname Tomaszewski in Poland is to be found in the large cities. Warsaw (4126), Poznan (3049), Bydgoszcz (1947), Lodz (1843), Katowice (1553) Gdansk (1412) with a cumulative total of 13,930 bearers of the name. The South-Eastern region of Poland is the least represented by the surname: Nowy Sacz (35), Krosno (87), Rzeszow (98), Bielsko-Biala (142), Bielsko-Podlaska (173), Tarnow (188). A total of 723 Tomaszewskis inhabit the area.

Distribution of the name

Over the past two hundred years there have been three identifiable periods in Polish history which saw the exodus of thousands from their native land. Due to its vulnerability sandwiched as it is between the giants - Germany and Russia, both of which would see Poland disappear from the map in the course of history. The 18th century partition of Poland lasted through to the 19th century when thousands of Poles, including politicos and revolutionaries, left the former Polish territory and went into exile. The majority headed for France, but other countries - Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Portugal - also acquired Polish emigres. In Britain, where a more liberal and tolerant environment existed, Poles were permitted to set up political organisations like the Polish People's Union of 1872 - 1877. By this time more than 30,000 Poles lived in exile in Europe and many more thousands in the United States of America . The second exodus of Poles from their native land occured after 1939 when in the September of that year Nazi Germany launched its venom against the Polish people. Poland once again ceased to exist as a nation. The Poles demonstrated their will to fight the invading Germans by joining the Polish Home Army - the largest resistance group in Nazi-occupied Europe. Bronislaw Tomaszewski mentioned earlier was a resistance member in Tymienice, a village near Kalisz in Central Poland. Some 220,000 escaped to Britain where the Polish Government in Exile was set up in London. The writer's father, Stanislaw Waclaw Tomaszewski, escaped from Poland in 1940 to join the Polish Army under British Command here in the British Isles. Stanislaw was awarded the KRZYZ WALECZYNYCH (Cross of Valour) for deeds of valour and courage on the field of battle. Poles who found refuge in wartime Britain greatly augmented the pre-war community which, at the time of the 1931 census, had only 44,462 Polish-born members residing in Britain. By 1945 when the Second World War ceased many thousands of displaced Poles, rather than return to a Poland now dominated by Communism, elected to remain in their new-found land. The third exodus of Poles occured between 1981 - 1983 following the declaration of martial law in that country. Despite these later arrivals the chief founders of today's Polish community in Britain were the exiles who arrived during the Second World War. Many of them married British women. Some brought up their children bi-lingually whilst others desiring to be fully naturalised Britons chose to retain only English within the family home. By the 1980s many of the children of emigre Poles had entered the professions of Law, Medicine and Teaching. It has been stated earlier that the feminine rendering of the surname Tomaszewski ends in - a - that is Tomaszewska. Most second generation Britons of Polish extraction, who speak no Polish, no longer use the feminine, opting only to use the -ski ending in their surname. In the 1970s in the writer's native county of Kent there were just two families that possessed the surname Tomaszewski. Neither family were related. The current (2006) Electoral Roll lists eight Tomaszewskis living in the county, none of whom are related to the writer. In 1980 there were 28 Tomaszewskis / Tomaszewskas listed in the Telephone Directory for the British Isles. None of whom were related to the writer. No DNA survey has yet been conducted to determine connection or provenance between the bearers of the name. By 1996, 64 households bearing the surname Tomaszewski were recorded as living in the British Isles, many of them with English Christian names denoting they were of the second generation. Statistical information would suggest, by household, the following data of Tomaszewskis living outside Poland: United States of America 1,362 Canada 180 Australia 68 New Zealand 0 Great Britain 64 Northern Ireland 0 Ireland 0 Austria 6 Germany 428 Switzerland 3 France 247 Netherlands 2 South Africa 4 Italy 0 In U.S.A the most populous recordings of numbers of Tomaszewskis live in the state of Michigan . In: Canada - Ontario Australia - Victoria Great Britain - London Austria - Vienna Germany - Nordrhein-Westfalen Switzerland - Tessin France - Pas De Calais Netherlands - Limburg South Africa - Natal A total of 2,364 Tomaszewski households, therefore, are recorded as living outside Poland. The greater numbers in U.S.A., Germany and France. With the collapse of communism in the 1980s Poland's determination to democratise their country reached the ears of President Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. By 1997 President Bill Clinton announced that Poland would join NATO. In that year Janusz Tomaszewski was appointed Deputy Prime Minister of Poland. In 2002 the crucial Ireland vote paved the way for Poland's entry into the EU. On the 1st May 2004 this became a reality. Polish people have the right to move from one member state to the other with a freedom never, hitherto, experienced in European history. Without doubt more Tomaszewskis will exercise their human right to freely travel and settle in countries of their choice to work, marry and educate their children without fear of reprisals back in their native Poland. Since Poland's entry into the EU in May 2004 around 300,000 citizens from the former Soviet Bloc have been allowed to settle in Britain.

Data

Over the years I have collected a resource bank of material which concerns the origin and history of the surname Tomaszewski. Here is a bibliography which complements the text of this web page. Further data on information held by me will be disseminated to interested parties on receipt of e-mail. Bibliography: Banaszak. Dariusz et al, (2004) An Illustrated History of Poland. Edukacja Powszechna. Poznan, Poland. Burke's Peerage World Book of Tomaszewskis (1996) Halberts Family Heritage. Printed in U.S.A. Davies. Norman, (2005) God's Playground, A History of Poland. Volumes 1 & 2. Oxford University Press. United Kingdom. Fast. Howard, (1970) The Jews. Cassell, London. Gajl. Tadeusz, (2003) Polskie Rody Szlacheckie I Ich Herby. Dom Wydawniczy Benkowski, Bialystok. Hanks. Patrick et al, (2002) The Oxford Names Companion. Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K. Hoffman. William, (1998) Polish surnames: Origins and Meanings. Polish Genealogical Society of America. Chicago. King. Greg. & Penny Wilson, (2003) The Fate of the Romanovs. John Wiley and Sons. Inc. U.S.A Lopatto. Janusz (c.1980) Samochodowy Atlas Polski. PPWK, Warsaw, Poland Manser. Martin, Ed. (2004) Dictionary of Saints. Harper Collins, London, United Kingdom. Nowak. Eugeniusz, (2004) Katastrofa na 'Radbod'. Wydawnictwo Poznanskie, Poznan, Poland. Odelain. O, & Seguineau. R, (1982) Dictionary of Proper Names and Places in the Bible. Robert Hale, London. Paszkiewicz. Henryk, (1956) Polska, I Jej Dorobek Dziejowy. Ksiegarnia Polska Orbis - Polonia. London. Polish Ministry of Information ( c. 1944 ) The German New Order in Poland. Hutchinson & Co.(Publishers) Ltd., London and Melbourne Practical Family History. March 2005 No.87 Tracing Polish Ancestors, Brenda Ralph Lewis Stupnicki. Hipolit, (1855) Herbarz Polski. Reprinted 1963. Katolicki Osrodek Wydawniczy Veritas.London. Tomaszewski. Wiktor (1969) Edinburgh University and Poland. Aberdeen University Press. Scotland Widdows. Richard (1982) The Hamlyn Book of Football Techniques and Tactics. Hamlyn, London, U.K.

DNA

I have the genetic signature of the Y - chromosome that I inherited from my father and from my more distant paternal ancestors. I would be keen to hear from other Tomaszewskis who have their Y-chromosome signature to enable a comparison to be made. My Y-chromosome is inherited from the Y- Clan that originated approximately 40.000 years ago in the Middle East and correlates with the European Middle or Upper Palaeolithic 'Aurignacian' culture that colonised Eurasia as the glaciers retreated. The clan can be divided into two subgroups that correspond to the scientific clades R1 a and R1 b. R1 a is found predominantly in northern and central Europe, but also has significant representation in central and southern Eurasia, particularly Kyrgyzstan and India. The distribution of R1 b is more significant in western Europe with particularly high concentrations running from Italy to the north and west of Spain, the British Isles and Iceland. The modern day members of my Y -Clan are found predominantly, though not exclusively in northern, central and western Eurasia. The distribution of my Y-Clan constitutes 75% of the people of Poland.

Links

External Sources used in this study include the following: The Electoral Roll of the United Kingdom (1999) UK Info 2003 Lite. The Phone Book BT. United Kingdom Wikipedia. The Online Encylopedia Correspondence from The Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies, Canterbury, Kent. Muzeum Okregowe Ziemi Kaliskiej, Kalisz, Poland. newsletter@reply.myfamilyinc.com Correspondence and conversations with Dr. Eugeniusz Nowak Ph.D., Bonn, Germany. www.polishroots.com/genpoland/surnames.htm free.polbox.pl/r/rafinski/surname.html no longer works herby.com.pl/herby/naz_query.html no longer works pgsa.org/about.htm no longer works polishandproud.freeserve.co.uk/polandsgreats_Jan%20Tomaszewski.htm no longer works answers.com/topic/boncza-coat-of-arms no longer works familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/t/o/m/Nicholas--E-Tomaszewski/ no longer works The Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum, 20 Princes Gate, London, SW7 1PT thePeerage.com Person Page 6788 Oxford Ancestors www.oxfordancestors.com

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