Guides

Old Polish family-relationship terms — a genealogy glossary

GENEALOGIA POLSKA LLC

A guide to historical Polish kinship and affinity terms found in records, memoirs and genealogical studies.

Historical Polish distinguished the father’s and mother’s relatives, and the husband’s and wife’s families, more precisely than modern usage. Meanings could vary by period and region, so always read a term in the context of the full source.

Old Polish term	Modern meaning
stryj	father’s brother
stryjenka	wife of the father’s brother
wuj	in older precise usage: mother’s brother
wujenka	wife of the mother’s brother
brat / siostra stryjeczna	child of the father’s brother
brat / siostra wujeczna	child of the mother’s brother
brat / siostra cioteczna	child of a parent’s sister
świekr / świekra	husband’s father / mother
cieść / cieścia	wife’s father / mother
dziewierz	husband’s brother
zełwa, zełwica, zołwa	husband’s sister
szurzy	wife’s brother
świeść	wife’s sister
jątrew, jątrewka	wife of the husband’s brother; also one of two brothers’ wives in relation to the other
paszenog	husband of the wife’s sister
swak	sister’s husband
snecha, sneszka	son’s wife, daughter-in-law
wnęk / wnęka	grandson / granddaughter
praszczur	remote ancestor, forebear
pradziad / prababa	great-grandfather / great-grandmother
dziad / baba	in older usage: grandfather / grandmother
mać / macierz	mother
rodziciel / rodzicielka	father / mother; a person from whom someone descends
dziecię	child, offspring
synowiec	brother’s son in relation to the paternal uncle; also grandson, descendant or close relative, depending on period and region
synowica	brother’s daughter in relation to the paternal uncle; sometimes a more general female relative
brataniec / bratanek	brother’s son, nephew
bratanica	brother’s daughter, niece
nieć	formerly cousin or more distant male relative
nieściora	formerly cousin or more distant female relative
plemiennik	descendant or member of a lineage; sometimes a relative generally
pośladek	successor, descendant
pociot / paciot / naciot	husband of a paternal or maternal aunt
stryjec	paternal uncle; historical variant
wujec	uncle, especially mother’s brother; historical variant
ciota	paternal or maternal aunt
niewiastka	daughter-in-law; old term for a son’s wife
szurzyna	wife of the wife’s brother
swat	father of one spouse in relation to the other spouse’s parents
swacha	mother of one spouse in relation to the other spouse’s parents
koligat	relative or relative by marriage; a person connected by family alliance
powinowaty	a person related through marriage
kmotr	godfather; also a person linked to the child’s parents through ritual co-parenthood
kuma	godmother; also a woman linked through ritual co-parenthood
półbrat / półsiostra	siblings sharing only one parent
pasierb / pasierbica	spouse’s child from an earlier relationship
ojczym / macocha	mother’s husband who is not the father / father’s wife who is not the mother
pogrobowiec	child born after the father’s death
sierota	child whose parents died; older usage could include loss of one parent
mamka	wet nurse
piastun / piastunka	male / female child minder, guardian or tutor
wychowaniec / wychowanica	foster child or person raised in another household
podrzutek	abandoned or foundling child of unknown parents
bękart	historical and now offensive term for a child born outside marriage
dziecko naturalne	old official term for a child born outside marriage
jedynak / jedynaczka	only son / only daughter, an only child
bliźnięta	children born from the same pregnancy
agnat	male-line relative; “by the sword”
po mieczu	male-line relative; “by the sword”
kognat	female-line relative; “by the distaff”
po kądzieli	female-line relative; “by the distaff”
po wrzecienie	female-line relative; “by the distaff”
stryk	father’s brother, paternal uncle
stryjna	wife of the father’s brother
wujna	wife of the mother’s brother
wielka ciotka	sister of a grandfather or grandmother
praciotka	sister of a grandfather or grandmother
wielki stryj	brother of a grandfather
prastryj	brother of a grandfather
przestryj	brother of a grandfather
przestryjec	brother of a grandfather
wielki wuj	brother of a grandmother
stary wuj	brother of a grandmother
przedwieć	brother of a grandmother
rodzono-cioteczny	children of two full sisters in relation to one another
przecioteczny	descendants of two sisters who are the compared persons’ grandmothers
rodzono-wujeczny	child of the mother’s full brother
rodzono-stryjeczny	child of the father’s full brother
przestryjeczny	more distant cousin through paternal uncles
stryjcowie	male descendants of a common ancestor in varying degrees of kinship
stryj herbowy	member of the same heraldic clan, not necessarily a close blood relative
świakier	husband’s father
świokier	husband’s father
świekrew	husband’s mother
swiekrucha	husband’s mother
świokra	husband’s mother
ćść	wife’s father
teścia	wife’s mother
żełwia	husband’s sister
żołwica	husband’s sister
zełwin	husband of the husband’s sister
praskurz	remote ancestor
pasynek	great-great-grandson or great-great-granddaughter
czędo	child, offspring
cędo	child, offspring
wnukiew	grandson or granddaughter
przewnuk	great-grandson or great-granddaughter
przyjaciel (dawne znaczenie)	blood relative or relative by marriage; historical sense
krewność	kinship, blood relationship
praojciec	ancestor, forebear
bastard	historical and now stigmatizing term for a child born outside marriage
bastrzę	historical and now stigmatizing term for a child born outside marriage
bąk (dawne znaczenie)	historical and now stigmatizing term for a child born outside marriage
pokrzywnik	historical and now stigmatizing term for a child born outside marriage
wyleganiec	historical and now stigmatizing term for a child born outside marriage

Kinship comes from common descent; affinity is created by marriage. Do not replace an old term mechanically without checking the document’s date, place and named people.

Historical and precise terms from other countries

Original term	Country or area	Meaning	Usage
fædera	England	father’s brother	old
faþu	England	father’s sister	old
eam / eme	England	mother’s brother	old
mōdrige	England	mother’s sister	old
cousin-german	England	first cousin	historical
avuncle	England	mother’s brother	historical
kin / kindred	England	relative or member of one’s kindred	historical
sib	England	relative or member of one’s kindred	historical
Oheim / Ohm	Germany	mother’s brother	historical
Muhme	Germany	mother’s sister	historical
Vetter	Germany	originally a male relative, later a cousin	historical
Base	Germany	originally a female relative, later a cousin	historical
Eidam	Germany	son-in-law	historical
Schnur	Germany	daughter-in-law	historical
Schwäher	Germany	father-in-law	old
Schwieger	Germany	mother-in-law	old
Schwertmage / Spillmage	Germany	paternal-line / maternal-line relative	old
aïeul / aïeule	France	grandfather or grandmother	precise or still used
bisaïeul / bisaïeule	France	great-grandfather or great-grandmother	precise or still used
trisaïeul / trisaïeule	France	great-great-grandparent	precise or still used
bru	France	daughter-in-law	regional
parâtre / marâtre	France	stepfather or stepmother	historical
cousin germain	France	first cousin	precise or still used
cousin issu de germain	France	first cousin’s child	precise or still used
cousin à la mode de Bretagne	France	a parent’s cousin	historical
neveu / nièce à la mode de Bretagne	France	a cousin’s child	historical
deudo / deuda	Spain	relative or member of one’s kindred	historical
entenado / entenada	Spain	stepson or stepdaughter	historical
consuegro / consuegra	Spain	parent of one spouse in relation to the other spouse’s parents	precise or still used
primo hermano / prima hermana	Spain	first cousin	precise or still used
tío abuelo / tía abuela	Spain	grandparent’s sibling	precise or still used
sobrino nieto / sobrina nieta	Spain	sibling’s grandchild	precise or still used
yerno / nuera	Spain	son-in-law / daughter-in-law	precise or still used
padre / madre político	Spain	father-in-law / mother-in-law	formal
šešuras	Lithuania	husband’s father	precise or still used
anyta	Lithuania	husband’s mother	precise or still used
dieveris	Lithuania	husband’s brother	precise or still used
moša	Lithuania	husband’s sister	precise or still used
uošvis / uošvė	Lithuania	wife’s father / mother	precise or still used
laigonas	Lithuania	wife’s brother	precise or still used
marti / žentas	Lithuania	daughter-in-law / son-in-law	precise or still used
avynas / ava	Lithuania	mother’s brother / sister	old
brolėnas / brolėčia	Lithuania	brother’s son / daughter	old
seserėnas / seserėčia	Lithuania	sister’s son / daughter	old
prabočiai / ainiai	Lithuania	ancestors / descendants	old
jentė	Lithuania	wife of the husband’s brother	old
стрий / стрийко	Ukraine	father’s brother	regional
стрийна	Ukraine	wife of the father’s brother	regional
вуйко	Ukraine	mother’s brother	regional
вуйна	Ukraine	wife of the mother’s brother	regional
дівер	Ukraine	husband’s brother	precise or still used
зовиця	Ukraine	husband’s sister	precise or still used
шурин	Ukraine	wife’s brother	precise or still used
своячка	Ukraine	wife’s sister	precise or still used
свояк	Ukraine	husband of the wife’s sister	precise or still used
братова	Ukraine	brother’s wife	regional
сват / сваха	Ukraine	parent of one spouse in relation to the other spouse’s parents	precise or still used
приймак	Ukraine	son-in-law living in the wife’s parental household	historical

Old Polish family-relationship terms — a genealogy glossary

Historical and precise terms from other countries

Źródła / Sources