MACKIEWICZ
Recorded variant spellings include MacKiewicz
Mackiewicz is a surname that originates from Poland and is classified as patronymic. It is derived from the given name Maciej, the Polish form of Matthias, and the suffix -ewicz traditionally signifies “son of.” Consequently, Mackiewicz literally means “son of Maciej.”
The surname is common in Poland, where it is found predominantly in the southern part of the country. According to the most recent census data, approximately 8,720 individuals in Poland bear the name Mackiewicz today. Polish diaspora communities in the United States, Canada, and Australia also maintain the name, with roughly 4,000 people in the United States (particularly in Wisconsin and Michigan), around 800 in Canada (mainly in Ontario and Alberta), and an estimated 200 in Australia (primarily in Victoria and New South Wales). Globally, the total number of people carrying the surname is estimated at about 15,000.
The name has a long history that stretches back to the medieval period. Historically, it has been recorded in a range of forms that reflect local linguistic practices. Variants include Mackievicz, Mackievitz, Mackevitz, Makievich, Makievicz, Makievitz, and Makievitz. In the Czech and Slovak regions the surname appears as Macháček or Makáček; in Hungary it is rendered as Makó. In areas of Prussian‑Germanic influence it can be found as Mackowitz or Makowitz. Among Yiddish speakers the name takes the forms Makovic and Makovitz. The United States, in particular, has seen alterations in spelling as a result of immigration; these include McKevitt, Makovitz, Makowicz, Macavoy, McKewy, and Mighue.
In Poland, the surname follows traditional gender conventions: the masculine form is Mackiewicz, while the family plural is referred to as Mackiewiczowie. Because the Latin alphabet lacks the letter “w,” English‑speaking communities usually retain the spelling Mackiewicz rather than modify it.
Historical records indicate that names derived from the Hebrew male given name Mattathiah—which translates to “gift of the Lord”—have appeared in Europe since at least the 11th century. The earliest mentions in English are found in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Matthaeus or the French spelling Mathieu. Subsequent medieval documentation includes names such as Heinrich Matthaus of Uberlingen (1382), John Mathows of Whitby (1395), and Hugh Mathewman in the 1379 Poll Tax rolls of England, demonstrating the widespread use of the root name across Christendom. These early examples confirm that patronymic surnames based on Mattathiah have long been a feature of European onomastics, which contextualises the development of surnames such as Mackiewicz in later centuries.
Overall, the surname Mackiewicz remains a recognised and respected name within Poland and among Polish diaspora populations worldwide. Its patronymic construction, regional variations, and documented historical presence attest to its enduring linguistic and cultural significance.
Typical given names associated with the Mackiewicz surname
Male
- Adam
- Adrian
- Andrzej
- Lukasz
- Pawel
- Philip
- Piotr
- Rafal
- Stephen
- Wojciech
Female
- Agnieszka
- Alison
- Anna
- Anne
- Clara
- Jolanta
- Katarzyna
- Laura
- Lisa
- Sylvia
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Mackiewicz in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 110 people named Mackiewicz in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around two in a million people in Britain are named Mackiewicz.
