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Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • Polish : nickname from Polish golec (a noun derivative of the adjective goły ‘naked’) in various possible senses. The basic meaning is ‘naked man’ or ‘hairless man’. It could therefore be a nickname for someone penniless, totally destitute, a naked wretch, which is one of the meanings of the vocabulary word. Equally, it could be a nickname for a bald or clean-shaven man.
  • Slovenian : nickname from the adjective gol ‘hairless’ (probably in the old sense ‘beardless youngster’).

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