Previously published in PGS-CA Bulletin (Issue #88, January 2008)

Kielno Translated from the Słownik Geograficzny (1880-1902)
by Helen Bienick

Kielno, formerly known as Kolno and Kölln [in German], was a rustic parish village. It is located on a lake in the county of Wejherowo, on the high road which runs between the town of Wejherowo and Leżno to the south. Included in the village were the following small settlements: Brzozówko, Dębnica, Jügerhof, Lis, Nowa Rola, Place, and Cegielnia kielińska. It covered 141 włoki of land. (one włok was equal to 30 morgen of land). There were 17 "gebur" (German farmers) who owned their own farms. Other inhabitants numbered 419 Catholics, 81 Evangelicals; there were 41 houses, as of the late 1800s. A parish church, a post office, and a water mill were located in the town. Kielno itself is located 3 1/4 Polish miles from Wejherowo city. Twice during the year, Kielno held fairs with the sale and trade of cattle and other goods. Kielno village and its church date back to early times and the first mention of its existence dates to 1342. Due to the Reformation movement, the church was twice confiscated by other religions. It was restored to the Catholics in 1570 by Bishop Stanislaus Karnkowski. The second recovery occurred in 1596 by Bishop Rozrażewski.

Kielno, with its large folwark (a large farmstead) was once the property of the Polish kings, who owned the following nearby villages of Szynwałd, Przodkowo, Czapły, Nynkowy, Bojany, Jeleń, and Kosowo. The kings leased these properties to their friends and favorites. Among these were Jan Wejher, the sheriff in 1590, and Ernest Wejher in 1570. In 1654, the Polish rulers borrowed 83,900 florins from a certain Jan Werd, and these properties were given to the sons of Jan, free from all taxation until repayment of the debt. In 1686 the leaseholder was a certain nobleman named Linda. In 1702 the leaseholder was Jakub Łębiński, a judge. In 1751, a Łębiński funded the rebuilding and restoring of the parish church.

Among the distinguished priests who served the Kielno church was a Zygmunt Niwicki, a canon from Włocław, who was also a royal secretary, and was a noted writer. In 1687 in Gdańsk, and later in 1692, he published two religious works in Latin. The second work was reissued in 1714. He was a Jesuit and died in Kraków. According to the diocesan schematics of 1867, the church in Kielno numbered 5,898 souls. The church was named St. Adalbert to honor its benefactor, the heir of Kielno whose surname was Dix. It is not known when and in which year the church was originally funded and built, nor when it was consecrated. Up to the year 1866, there was an affiliated church in Szynwałd, and a second affiliate in Przodkowo. Besides the 21 small out¬posts, the following small settlements belonged to the Kielno parish: Kielno Małe and Wielkie, Bieszkowice, Bieszkowo, Bojany, Borowa góra, Bożanka, Brzozowa Góra, Brzozówka, Brzozowe błoto, Czernia, Dębnica, Dębowa góra, Dobrzewino, Dębowa karczma, Głodowo, Głodówko, Glina, Glinica, Wielka wieś, Grenzfliess(?), Zielenisz, Hamowana, Jägersburg(?), Kamień, Karczemki, Kaszary, Kielińska huta, Kłosów, Kłosówka, Koleczkowo, Koleczkowski młyn, Koponiewo, Kontorwers(?), Kowalewo, Łękno, Lisewko, Marchowo, Marchówko, Marcinki, Mniszewko, Miszewka dąbrowa, Mrówczy zamek, Nowa karczma, Niemotowo, Nowa rola, Okuniewo, Oliwska dąbrowa, Orzechowo, Piecewo, Place, Piekiełko, Psale, Psalmo, Rąb, Rębiska, Renówko, Rogalewo, Sarnia góra, Czarna góra, Warzno, Warzenko, Warzeńska huta, Wielka rola, Wiślin and Zagannik.

There were three parish schools with 181 Catholic students in Kielno, 16 in Wyślinie, and over 200 pupils in Szynwałd. Over 200 children did not attend any schools.

As to the many tombstones with their epitaphs, there is a complete description of them in a publication called Echo, which featured sepulchers and was published in Peplin in 1765, and found on page 24.

The following 4 epitaphs are of special interest in the Kielno Church.

#1 The most noble Samuel de Kczewo Kczewski, a most virtuous and righteous man, who passed away in the year 1646. He was a very pious person, along with his esteemed wife, Susanna de Bakowiec Schlichtingia.

#2 The most noble Gasparus Uberfeld, born September 11, 1561 in Koleczkowo and who passed away on March 9 in 1617.

#3 The most honorable and just nobleman, Laurentius Jantzen, deceased January 2, 1632.

#4 His lordship the nobleman, Carolus Jantzen, died October 23, 1666. May he rest in peace.

Surnames from Kielno Compiled by Karen Chorney

Abrahm Abrok Ajawski Albeski Albuski Arnz Bach Baranowski Barganski Barzanski Barzowski Barzyekowski Baumann Baumgard Belgraw Belgrowa Bellmann Belowa Berowski Bieszk Bieszlk Bigga Bigur Bigus Bladarski Blaszowski Block Blyck Boehm Bojk Bork Borsk Boyla Boza Braner Brill Bruer Bruka Brun Brunke Bryk Bryla Brylowski Burcharcz Burganski Burka Burzowski Buzahn Buzan Byer Byewski Byrewski Byrzkowski Chmerk Chrabko Chrabkowski Cipke Croma Cryonke Cymann Cynke Cynski Cyroski Czorniak Czoske Czoski Czosnik Czuke Czupa

Dabrowski Danga Dargasz Davski Dawidowski Delk Demke Dempe Dempski Detlof Dettlof Diesing Dobk Dobke Doehring Doering Dorsch Dosz Dragowz Drawe Drewe Drgwa Dryna Drywa Durga Dybowski Dykowski Dyron Dzbrowski Dzienisz Ebel Elward Elwart Erunnolz Ewelt Ewolt Fesmer Figlon Figlow Firka Flisykowski Fobka Folk Formella Frankowski Freytag Frumko Fulk Gierski Gleiski Glonk Glowienka Gojk Graba Grabe Grabinski Grablowski Grabowski Groth Gruba Grunholz Grünka Gruzel Grzenia Grzenko Grzenkowski Grzeuke Gujk Gurski

Hagel Hahnau Hall Halman Harder Hebel Hebol Heinke Heinrick Hejke Heller Helzel Hemmig Hemmik Hephanowski Hermann Hershel Herznan Hewelt Hinz Hirsch Hirt Hoefta Hoefte Hoffmann Hofman Holk Hollander Holmann Holz Hoppa Hoppe Hosa Huffmann Huls Husa Jablon Jankowski Jaskulski Jaszka Joka Juneski Junk Junko Junski Kadolski Kakol Kamdziora Kandzioja Kanka Kankowski Karpinski Kaspar Kaufmann Keller Kladrymowski Klamrowski Klawinski Klebba Kleck Klein Klup Knach Knaff Knepa Knoff Koft Koldowski Kolski

Kopieski Kotlowski Kranz Krause Krefft Krepa Krewa Kroljk Krusa Kruse Kruski Kruza Kryse Kryza Krzpa Kufdt Kunea Kunz Kupper Kwakowski Kwiatlowski Kwidzinski Kyburd LaBahn Labuda Labuhn Laczewski Lademan Lahada Lahuda Lange Laya Lefner Lehmann Lelewski Lemk Leske Lessner Lewanezyk Lewinski Leyetowski Lezner Lidke Liedka Liewer Litzau Lorn Luboeke Lububa Luca Ludach Luga Lyck Lykowski Mach Machalinski Machof Machol Mack Madlow Maleo Malinowski Maludke Markowski Marszoda Marszola Marzyan Matzewski Mehring

Melzer Meyer Miolk Mioske Mischker Moering Molina Molk Monski Muchol Müller Munski Muza Nadolski Nagel Nawiski Netzel Niemi Nikielski Nizmik Okroj Pafran Palasz Paluch Parchem Parthem Paszke Patasz Patuka Pawlik Peplinski Petragowski Petrazo Piekorski Piernicki Pierniski Pilowski Pioch Pionk Pioski Pipke Pivak Plinski Plonk Plotka Pollak Ponka Pranga Prange Prymka Putkammer Puttkower Pwek Pybowski Pyjski Pykram Rabca Rabia Rapa Rapel Raszewski Ratz Renackowski Renaskowski Reschke Reske Resmann Reszka Rhode

Richert Richter Riebel Ritter Robake Robakowski Rode Roelof Roft Rogoski Rohde Ropel Rosenkranz Rowalewski Rubea Rubiniewicz Ruca Ruchniewisz Rupe Rusz Rutzinga Ryba Ryband Rybandt Rybinski Rybundt Rychter Ryhardt Ryta Rytz Rzepa Rzesiewisz Samson Schefka Schemiel Schlofs Schmein Schmude Schmukada Schneider Schora Schroeder Schroeins Schultz Schulz Sedka Selk Selowa Semp Senitz Shumer Sidke Sidzbarski Siebert Sielezynski Siewert Sikora Siroski Sitwin Skoszk Slaz Slezynski Sluba Sontag Sorn Specht Spode Spreski Spretka

Stalk Staykowski Stefanowski Stewa Stofa Stolk Strzyzewski Stuba Stube Stuzewski Stuzynski Surowski Syrhowski Szewka Szymanski Szymkowski Takarski Taube Tesmer Thesmar Thesmer Thiel Topork Toppork Tupork Uzdrowk Wajisk Waldman Waldowski Walter Wank Warzewski Weger Welk Wendt Wente Wenzel Westerling Westphal Wilatowski Wilkowski Witka Witkowski Witt Witta Wittbrad Witzberg Woehring Wrabel Wrek Wrobel Wrosz Wydrowski Wyeniowski Wyezno Wysieski Wysion Wyta Wytta Wyzniowski Zelowa Zielewski Zielinski Zymmermann Zywicki