Wilczek

Wilczek is a Polish surname derived from the word wilk, meaning "wolf," with the diminutive suffix -czek. The name likely originated as a nickname for someone associated with wolves or who lived near them and later became a hereditary surname. It is most common in Poland and among people of Polish descent, and it has spread to other countries through migration.

Notable people with the surname include Frank Wilczek (born 1951), a Polish-American theoretical physicist and Nobel laureate. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2004 for the discovery of asymptotic freedom in quantum chromodynamics. Wilczek is a professor of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has made significant contributions to quantum field theory, particle physics, and related areas, including work on axions and the broader implications of gauge theories.

In addition to its use as a surname, Wilczek also appears in geographic names within Poland, where several small settlements or features bear the word in their designation. The name’s usage reflects its Polish linguistic origins and its association with the animal motif embedded in Slavic naming traditions.