kowale

Kowale is a Polish toponym used for several settlements across Poland. The name is derived from the Polish word kowal, meaning blacksmith, with the suffix -e forming a place name, and it often reflects historical craft activities associated with the area.

Most Kowale are small rural villages that form part of a gmina, the basic administrative unit in Poland, within a larger voivodeship. Their histories commonly relate to local trades, agriculture, or crafts that shaped regional development over centuries.

In contemporary administration, some places named Kowale retain village status, while others have become districts or neighborhoods within larger cities as urban areas expanded and administrative boundaries were reorganized.

The toponym Kowale is one of several Polish place names rooted in occupations or crafts, illustrating how medieval trades influenced settlement naming practices and the distribution of communities in Polish history.