Spelling Variations include: Birossik, Birošík, Biroshik, Birossák, Biroš
The Birosik surname "village mayor or son of the village mayor".
The root comes from the Hungarian word bíró, which means "judge" or "village mayor." Because Slovakia was part of the Kingdom of Hungary for nearly a millennium, many administrative, legal, and authoritative titles were integrated into the local Slovak vocabulary. In a typical village, the bíró was the state-appointed or community-elected official responsible for keeping order, collecting taxes, and settling small community disputes (sometimes given as a gentle, teasing nickname for a person who liked to act bossy).
This particular branch is from Northern Slovakia in the town of Lendak inside the historical Spiš Region near the Polish border.
Kolodzey Connection
The Birosik family merged with the Kolodzey family with the marriage of Joseph Birossik (b. Mar 1863) and Maria Kolodzey (d. 3 Dec 1873). According to the 1900 US Census, they married in 1892.
Motto
Slovak: „Z Tatier múdrosť, z ľudu sila“
English: “From the Tatras, wisdom; from the people, strength.”
Crest Description
Arms azure, upon a mountain proper a Goral shepherd’s axe (ciupaga) Or in pale, behind it a church tower argent roofed Gules, and in base a shepherd’s crook Or crossed with a quill argent; all within a bordure chequy Gules and Argent recalling Goral embroidery.
Crest upon a helm affronté with mantling Azure doubled Or, a black Goral hat trimmed argent and feathered proper, surmounted by a golden mayoral crown, from which rises a silver eagle displayed holding a scroll. Supporter Dexter, a mountain chamois proper wearing a Goral sash; sinister, a white stork proper holding a sprig of juniper; both standing upon a rocky alpine compartment strewn with gentian and edelweiss.
Symbolism
As the picture depicts, this site is dedicated to the Kolodzeys that left behind the mountains of Slovakia, Galicia, Deutchia, and Prussia to live in the United States of America. This is our story.