Bolesław (Polish: [bɔˈlɛ.swaf] ⓘ ), Boleslaw , Boleslav or Boleslaus (in Latin), is a male given name of Slavic origin meaning great glory . Feminine forms of the name are Bolesława and Boleslava .
It was the favoured dynastic name in the Polish Piast dynasty and also, to a considerably lesser extent, among the Czech Přemyslids . The name was used by the Piasts after being borrowed from Přemyslids through inheritance in the female line: The mother of the first Polish monarch of that name, Boleslaus the Brave, was the Czech princess Doubravka of Bohemia , whose father Boleslaus I, Duke of Bohemia and brother Boleslaus II, Duke of Bohemia bore the name Boleslav. Rulers of the Silesian line of the Piast dynasty were often known by the shortened version of the name, Bolko . In total, 45 kings and dukes from the House of Piast bore the name.
List of people with given name Bolesław, Boleslav or Boleslaus[ edit ]
Polish historical rulers from the House of Piast [ edit ]
Bolesław I of Poland (c. 966 –1025), known as 'the Brave' or 'the Valiant', Duke of Poland from 992 to 1025 (ending in 1025 as King of Poland)
Bolesław II of Poland (1039–1081), known as 'the Bold', 'the Generous' or 'the Cruel', Duke of Poland 1058 to 1076 and King of Poland 1076 to 1079
Bolesław III Wrymouth (1085–1138), Duke of Poland from 1102 to 1138
Bolesław IV the Curly (1120–1173), High Duke of Poland from 1146 to 1173
Bolesław the Pious (c. 1224 –1279), Duke of Greater Poland 1239–1247
Bolesław I of Masovia (1208–1248), Duke of Sandomierz, Sieradz (1233–1234), and Masovia (1229–1248)
Bolesław II of Masovia (c. 1250 –1313), Duke of Masovia
Bolesław Jerzy of Mazovia (c. 1305/1310 –1340), Duke of Masovia and Galicia-Volhynia
Bolesław of Cieszyn (died 1356) , (c. 1331/32 –1356), Polish prince
Bolesław I of Cieszyn (c. 1363 –1431), Duke of Cieszyn
Bolesław II of Cieszyn (c. 1425/28 –1452), Duke of Cieszyn
Bolesław I the Tall (1127–1201), Duke of Wrocław
Bolesław II Rogatka (1220/5–1278), Duke of Silesia and portions of Poland
Bolesław II of Niemodlin (1326/35–1368), Duke of Niemodlin
Bolesław III the Generous (1291–1352), Duke of Legnica, Brzeg and Wrocław
Bolesław III of Płock (c. 1325 –1351), Duke of Płock
Bolesław IV of Legnica (c. 1349 –1394), Duke of Legnica
Bolesław IV of Warsaw (1421–1454), Duke of Warsaw
Bolesław V of Warsaw (1454–1488), Duke of Warsaw, Zakroczym, Nur, Płock, and Wizna
Bolesław V the Chaste (1226–1279), Duke of Kraków, who rebuilt the city after its destruction in 1241
Bolesław of Bytom (1330–1355), Duke of Koźle and Bytom
Bolesław of Dobrzyń (1303/06–1327/29), Polish prince, Duke of Dobrzyń and Łęczyca
Bolesław of Kuyavia (1159–1195), Duke of Kuyavia from c. 1186 to 1195
Bolesław of Oleśnica (c. 1295 –1321), Duke of Żagań and Ścinawa
Bolesław of Toszek (1276/78–1328), Duke of Toszek
Bolesław the Elder (1293–1365), Duke of Wielun, Niemodlin, who often goes by the name Bolko
Polish-Silesian rulers from the House of Piast known as Bolko [ edit ]
Bolko I the Strict (1252/56–1301), Duke of Lwówek, Jawor, Świdnica and Ziębice/Münsterberg
Bolko I of Opole (1258–1313), Duke of Opole, Niemodlin and Strzelce Opolskie
Bolko II of Ziębice (1300–1341), Duke of Ziębice/Münsterberg
Bolko II of Opole (1300–1356), Duke of Opole
Bolko II the Small (1312–1368), Duke of Świdnica Jawor, Lwówek, Lusatia and Siewierz
Bolko III of Strzelce (1337–1382), Duke of Opole and Strzelce
Bolko III of Münsterberg (1348–1410), Duke of Ziębice/Münsterberg
Bolko IV of Opole (1363/67–1437), Duke of Strzelce, Niemodlin and Opole
Bolko V the Hussite (c. 1400 –1460), Duke of Opole, Głogówek, Prudnik, Strzelce, Niemodlin and Olesno
Czech historical rulers [ edit ]
Other historical rulers [ edit ]
Bolesław Banaś (1912–1991), Polish fencer
Bolesław Barbacki (1891–1941), Polish painter
Boleslaw Barlog (1906–1999), German director
Bolesław Biegas (1877–1954), Polish painter and sculptor
Bolesław Bierut (1892–1956), former President of Poland
Bolesław Błaszczyk (born 1964), Polish footballer
Bolesław Borysiuk (born 1948), Polish politician
Bolesław Chocha (1923–1987), Polish military commander, publicist, and military theorist
Bolesław Cichecki (1905–1972), Polish footballer
Bolesław Cybis (1895–1957), Polish painter, sculptor, and muralist
Bolesław Czaiński (born 1949), Polish field hockey player
Bolesław Jan Czedekowski (1885–1969), Polish artist
Bolesław Dembiński (1833–1914), Polish composer and organist
Bolesław Roman Dłuski (1826–1905), Polish-Lithuanian physician, painter and military officer
Antoni Bolesław Dobrowolski (1872–1954), Polish geophysicist, meteorologist and explorer
Bolesław Domański (1872–1939), Polish Catholic Priest
Bolesław Drewek (1903–1972), Polish rower
Bolesław Drobiński (1918–1995), Polish fighter pilot, flying ace of World War II
Bolesław Drobner (1883–1968), Polish politician
Bolesław Dubicki (1934–2004), Polish wrestler
Bolesław Bronisław Duch (1896–1980), Polish army general and military official
Bolesław Filipiak (1901–1978), Polish cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church
Bolesław Fleszar (1933–2023), Polish chemist and politician
Bolesław Formela (1903–1944), Polish army officer
Grzegorz Bolesław Frąckowiak (1911–1943), Polish catholic friar and martyr
Bolesław Gebert (1895–1986), Polish communist politician and diplomat
Bolesław Gendera (1918–1997), Polish footballer
Bolesław Michal Gładych (1918–2011), Polish fighter pilot, flying ace of World War II
Boleslaw Goldman (born 1938), Polish-Israeli physician and professor
Bolesław Gościewicz (1890–1973), Polish sports shooter
Bolesław Habowski (1914–1979), Polish footballer
Bolesław Januszowic (1385/86–1424), Polish prince
Bolesław Kieniewicz (1907–1969), Polish general
Bolesław Hieronim Kłopotowski (1848–1903), Roman Catholic archbishop
Bolesław Kolasa (1920–2007), Polish ice hockey player
Bolesław Kominek (1903–1974), Polish Roman Catholic archbishop and cardinal
Bolesław Konorski (1892–1986), Polish engineer and electrotechnician
Bolesław Kontrym (1898–1953), Polish Army officer and participant in the Warsaw Uprising
Bolesław Kotula (1849–1898), Polish naturalist and teacher
Bolesław Kwiatkowski (1942–2021), Polish basketball player
Bolesław Leśmian (1877–1937), Polish poet and artist
Bolesław Lewandowski (1935–2003), Polish footballer
Bolesław Limanowski (1835–1935), Polish politician
Bolesław Masłowski (1851–1928), Polish chemist
Bolesław Matuszewski (1856–1943/44), Polish businessman, photographer and cameraman, pioneer of cinematography
Bolesław Mołojec (1909–1942), Polish communist activist and politician
Bolesław Napierała (1909–1976), Polish cyclist
Bolesław Ocias (1929–2019), Polish conductor and composer
Bolesław Orliński (1899–1992), Polish pilot
Jan Bolesław Ożóg (1913–1991), Polish writer, poet and translator
Bolesław Piasecki (1915–1979), Polish writer, politician and political theorist
Bolesław Piecha (born 1954), Polish politician
Bolesław Pietraszek , Polish farmer, Righteous among the Nations
Bolesław Polnar (1952–2014), Polish visual artist
Stefan Bolesław Poradowski (1902–1967), Polish composer
Bolesław Proch (1952–2012), Polish motorcycle speedway rider
Bolesław Prus (1847–1912), Polish journalist, novelist and leading figure in Polish literature and philosophy
Bolesław Przybyszewski (1892–1937), Soviet teacher and musicologist
Bolesław Pylak (1921–2019), Polish prelate
Bolesław Płotnicki (1913–1988), Polish actor
Bolesław Roja (1876–1940), Polish general and politician
Bolesław Romanowski (1910–1968), Polish Navy submarine commander
Bolesław Rusiecki (1824–1913), Polish-Lithuanian painter and art collector
Peter Bolesław Schmeichel (born 1963), Danish footballer
Bolesław Skarżyński (1901–1963), Polish biochemist
Bolesław Smólski (1922–1979), Polish footballer
Bolesław Strzelecki (1896–1941), Polish Roman Catholic priest
Bolesław Surałło (1906–1939), Polish painter
Bolesław Szabelski (1896–1979), Polish composer
Bolesław Szadkowski (1945–2005), Polish footballer
Bolesław Szymański (politician) (1877–1940), Polish politician, mayor of Białystok 1919–1928
Bolesław Szymański (scientist) (born 1950), Polish computer scientist
Bolesław Taborski (1927–2010), Polish poet, essayist and translator
Bolesław Talago (1886–1960), Polish surveyor and publisher
Bolesław Tejkowski (1933–2022), Polish sociologist, academic, and politician
Bolesław Twardowski (1864–1944), Polish Roman Catholic prelate
Bolesław Wallek-Walewski (1885–1944), Polish composer and conductor
Bolesław Wieniawa-Długoszowski (1881–1942), Polish army general, politician and diplomat
Bolesław Witczak (born 1966), Polish politician
Bolesław Własnowolski (1916–1940), Polish fighter pilot, flying ace of World War II
Bolesław Woytowicz (1899–1980), Polish pianist and composer
Bolesław Wysłouch (1855–1937), Polish nobleman and socialist politician
Boleslaw Wyslouch (professor) , American physicist
Bolesław Żytniak (1922–1999), Polish footballer
Bill Sienkiewicz (born 1958), American comic book artist
Boleslav Jablonský (1813–1881), Czech poet and catholic priest
Karel Boleslav Jirák (1891–1972), Czechoslovak composer and conductor
Boleslav Kukel (1829–1869), Russian general and governor
Boleslav Likhterman (1902–1967), Soviet medical researcher
Boleslav Markevich (1822–1884), Russian writer and journalist
Boleslav Mlodzeevskii , (1858–1923), Russian mathematician
Boleslav Pachol (born 1948), Czech weightlifter
Josef Boleslav Pecka (1849–1897), Czech journalist, poet and politician
Boleslav Polívka (born 1949), Czech actor
Stephen Boleslav Roman (1921–1988), Slovak-Canadian mining engineer
Boleslav Skhirtladze (born 1987), Georgian long jumper
Boleslav Yavorsky (1877–1942), Russian musicologist
Boļeslavs Sloskāns (1893-1981), Latvian Roman Catholic bishop