Tarczek [ˈtart͡ʂɛk] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Pawłów, within Starachowice County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland.

In the Middle Ages, Tarczek belonged to the Bishops of Kraków, who had a manor house here, together with a church, erected in 1067 by Wladyslaw Herman, as a votum for the birth of his son Boleslaw Krzywousty.

In 1227, Bishop Iwo Odrowaz, with permission of Prince of Sandomierz Leszek I the White allowed German settlers (see Ostsiedlung) to come and settle in the area of Tarczek.

In the mid 14th century, Bishop of Kraków Jan Bodzanta founded the town of Bodzentyn, located five kilometers from Tarczek.

The bishop moved the market place and the castellany to Bodzentyn, after which Tarczek lost its importance and in 1412 was stripped of town charter.