gorski

Gorski is a surname of Slavic origin and also a toponymic element in several Slavic languages. The form Górski occurs in Polish with the diacritic on the o, while Gorski is common in transliterations. It is derived from gora, meaning mountain or hill, and the adjectival suffix -ski, which denotes belonging or origin. In essence, Gorski means "of the mountains" or "mountainous."

As a surname, Gorski is found across Polish-speaking communities and in other Slavic populations, including Croatian, Serbian, and Slovenian contexts. The feminine form is Gorska in languages that mark gender in surnames, such as Polish (Górska) and Croatian/Serbian variants. The name is typically used without regard to religion or class and is among common Slavic surnames.

Geographically, Gorski appears in place names that describe terrain. The Croatian region Gorski Kotar translates roughly as "mountainous region" and is a well-known example. The element is used in other toponyms to denote hilly or mountainous areas.

Variants and transliterations include Górsky or Gorsky in Russian- or Ukrainian-influenced contexts, as well as the feminine form Gorska in some languages. The distribution of the name reflects historical population movements and language evolution across Central and Southeastern Europe.