The Dictionary of Polish Place Names (Nazwy Miejscowe Polski) explains the origin of place names in Poland and details how the place name changed over time.
Volume VI of Nazwy Miejscowe Polski lists several places called Laski. The 14th entry is for a village currently in the Masovian Voivodeship and which belongs to the Szelków parish.
Nazwy Miejscowe Polski indicates that Laski was in the Szelków Gmina, Ostrołęka Voivodeship in the years 1975-1998, and is 8 kilometers southeast of Maków Mazowiecki. Mentions of the village include Lasky in 1402, Lasky in 1427, Laszky in 1448, Lasky in 1507 and 1525, Laszki in 1512, Liaski in 1582, Laski in 1784, Laski in 1827, Łaski (!) in 1839, Las or Łaz, and Laski in 1884, Laski in 1901, and Laski, Lask, laskowski in 1971.
The village’s location near a forest indicates the topographical nature of the toponym.
Source: Rymut, Kazimierz, ed., Nazwy Miejscowe Polski (Place Names of Poland) – Krakow 2005, Volume VI, page 18.
Click the link for a PDF copy of the Nazwy Miejscowe Polski entry for Laski. Translated from the Polish, the entry reads:
Laski (14), village, Ostrołęka voivodeship, Szelków gmina, 8 km south-east of Maków Mazowiecki: Lasky 1402 SHGMz (APK 868); Lasky 1427 MkM I No. 535; Laszky 1448 SHGMz (Ep. 5, 1v); Lasky 1507, 1525 SHGMz (MK 41, 78); Laszki 1512 SHGMz (Ep. 7, 23a); Liaski 1582 ŹDz XVI 392; Laski 1784 MpPerMz; Laski 1827 Tabella I 260; Łaski (!) 1839 MpKwat IV 2; Las al. Łaz, Laski 1884 SG V 81; Laski 1901 Przew l 317; Laski, Lask, laskowski 1971 UN 129, 45. – The village’s location near a forest indicates the topographical nature of the toponym. Lit.: ZMaz 237. Urszula Bijak
Copyright © 2026 by Stephen J. Danko
