Sypniewski

The etymology of 'Sypien' suggests the use of water in association with the making or use of a clay vessel or fortification and the breeding or capture of fish.

A Jan Sypniewski resettled in the Brzesko-Litewskie province (presently part of Lithuania, back then center of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth), and branches are found in Poznań, Nowy Sącz, and Prussia.

On the division of Poland in the 18th century, the Sypniewski family is then also mentioned as Prussian nobility, and is found in Siebmacher's Wappenbuch under the Odrowąż armories.

In the 14th century, a branch of the Prussian family von Runge (originating from an area around Wroclav/Breslau) adopted the surname Sypniewski.

[1][2] His avid anti-Russian, anti-Prussian and anti-Austrian activities didn't go well with U.K. government (all 3 countries being allies of British Empire at the time).

Once he became persona non grata in Britain and was forced to leave the country, he settled in Brasil, where he built roads and bridges.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Sypniewski were found in Polesia as a notable family mentioned in the Listracje (inventories) similar to the registry of England's Domesday Book.

Others were in Vienna, Passau, Nuremberg, Cologne, Sweden, Switzerland, and – to a lesser degree – in other European countries.

Siebmacher's Wappenbuch (Siebmacher's armorial reference book) under Preussischer Adel (Prussian Nobility), records Sypniewski (table 269), a Polish family, connected to the Odrowaz coat of arms, still 20 years ago (at the printing of the above stated book, c. 1840) in possession of a sizeable piece of farmland.

Sypniewski clan provided king Jagiełło (and later his son, king Casimir IV Jagiellon) with knights, arms, soldiers, supplies and money in their fight against Teutonic Order and they took active part in taking of Bydgoszcz, famous Battle of Grunwald, long Thirteen Years' War, and in every war fought by Poland since (i.e. Rotmistrz (Captain of Cavalry, equivalent of modern Colonel) Jan Stefan Sypniewski had briefly occupied Moscow in 1605 during Polish–Muscovite War) Feliks Sypniewski was a famous Polish Painter who later emigrated to Paris and is buried at the Père Lachaise Cemetery.

Felicjan Sypniewski was a scientist whose ground-breaking studies and scientific publications influenced the next generations of Polish naturalists and have laid down foundations of malacology and algology.

Renowned sculptor Bolesław Sypniewski donated almost 2 years of his work for the mausoleum of the most famous leader of Second Polish Republic, Marshal Józef Piłsudski.

His Matka i Serce Syna (Mother and Her Son's Heart) black granite tombstone[4] is still laying there today in Vilnius's Rossa Cemetery in Lithuania (back then part of Poland), where – in accordance with his wishes – the heart of Marshal Piłsudski was buried in his mother's tomb.

Sypniewskis have, over the millennium, produced gallant knights, politicians, artists, authors, engineers, officers, musicians, medical doctors, teachers, government administrators, few explorers, and even sportsmen in recent times.

Even though by today many of the families bearing the surname Sypniewski may no longer be classified as being truly 'related', often physical traits are still intact.

On the male side they usually are tall, with a high forehead and 'Geheimratsecken' (naturally receded hairline above the temple) with an oval face.