Rigów

Rigów is a Polish toponym used for several small settlements in Poland. The name is characteristic of rural locality names and can appear in different voivodeships. Because there is more than one place named Rigów, official and cartographic records typically distinguish them by their surrounding administrative units.

Etymology

In Polish toponymy, the suffix -ów often marks a possessive or associative relation, commonly indicating a place connected with a person or family name. Accordingly, Rigów most likely originated from a personal or family name, though the precise origin can vary by locality and is not uniformly documented.

Geography and administration

Each Rigów belongs to a specific gmina (municipality), within a powiat (county), in a voivodeship (province). On maps and in addresses, the place is identified by its administrative context, for example Rigów, Gmina X, Powiat Y, Voivodeship Z. The settlements named Rigów are typically small and rural, with populations ranging from a few dozen to a few hundred inhabitants in many cases.

History and economy

Local histories of Rigów settlements often reflect agricultural and land-use patterns common to rural Poland. Records appear in parish, land, and municipal documents dating from the medieval period onward. In contemporary times, these communities are usually oriented toward farming, forestry, or commuting to nearby towns for employment, with limited local industry.

See also

Other Polish place names with the suffix -ów and discussions of Polish toponymy.