Nowak
Nowak is a Polish surname from the nickname nowak, "the new man, the newcomer". It marked a person newly arrived in a village, workplace, or apprenticeship whose name was not yet known.
Nowak Pronunciation
Nowak is pronounced NO-vahk (/ˈnɔvak/).
Alive in 2025
199,178
National rank
#1
Top voivodeship
Greater Poland
Residents of Poland
1 in 214
What Nowak means
Where the surname Nowak comes from and what it meant when it formed.
Nowak comes from the appellative nowak "new man, newcomer, novice", built from the adjective nowy "new". It marked a person new to a place, trade, or school whose given name was not yet known. Rymut's dictionary groups it under names meaning "new person, newcomer", and a secondary Czech channel is proposed, since Novák is also the most common surname in Czechia.