Family name origins & meanings
- Polish : habitational name for someone from any of various places called Poniatowo, Poniatowa, or Poniatów, named with the personal name Poniat, from Old Slavic poneteti ‘to set light to’, ‘to kindle’.
- This name, borne by Polish nobility, can be traced back to the 15th century. Stanisław August Poniatowski (1738–1798) was the last king of Poland. Józef Poniatowski (1763–1813), commander in chief of the Polish army, took part in Napoleon’s campaigns and acquired the title marshal of France.