Recorded in number of spelling forms including Parysiak, Parmicka, Parzis, Parylowski, Partyka, Parzyzek and Parzizek, this is a topographical surname of Polish-Czech origins. It appears to derive from an ancient word 'Parez' meaning a tree stump, which also seems to be reflected in the modern 'partkya', a chunk or piece. An alternativesuggestion may be from the Polish word 'part', meaning the same as in English, and which seems to share a similar background and meaning to 'parez'. To the prefix has been added a wide variety of suffix endings. Of these some are patronymic -owicz and -icz, diminutive -ka, occupational -ak, or associated with land and estate ownership, -ski or -ska, the latter being the female form. Unfortunately the surviving registers of Poland are limited and erratic, an indication of the civil turmoil caused by ruthless invasion, particularly over the past century. These invasions sought to deliberately destroy the country's culture, and to prevent the growth of stable record keeping. Examples of surviving recordings include Anna Parzizek, who married Gottlieb Feltsmann at Zelow, Lodziego, on February 10th 1828, Jadwiga Parysiak, a witness at Lubien Kuwawski, Bydgoskiego, on February 4th 1849, and Wojek Partyka, christened at Plebanska, Krakowskiego, on November 4th 1860. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Katarzna Parysowna, which was dated 1732, born at Lublin, Lubelskiego, Poland, during the reign of King Frederick-Augustus 1st of Poland, 1709 - 1733. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.