
Villages Where MN Kashubians Emigrated From
Winona, MN Kashubians
Most of the Kashubians who settled in Winona, Minnesota came from the villages of Ugoszcz, Borzyszkowy, Brusy, Lesno, Lipusz, and Wiele. In 1855, parts of two families from the village of Wiele arrived in Winona. A larger group of about 25 settled in Winona in 1857, and by 1864 there were about 50 Kashubian families in Winona. This increased to 700 families by 1888.
- Chojnice
- Lesno
- Brusy
- Wiele
- Swarnegacie
- Koscierzyna
- Bytow
- Tuszkowy
- Lipusz
- Borzyszkowy
- Czersk
- Male Chelmy
- Lipnica
- Dunajki
- Ugoszcz
- Trzebun
- Zapcen
- Klaczno
- Konarzyny
- Zblewo
- Dombrowa
- Borsk
- Karsin
- Kiedrowice
- Prztarnia
- Zakowo

Morrison County, MN Kashubians

Kashubians also settled in Central MN, primarily in Morrison County along with Poles from Silesia and Poznań. Some of the Winona Kashubians and Morrison County Kashubians were from the same villages in Poland. Some of the Winona Kashubians moved to Morrison County, possibly to be closer to family or to purchase cheaper farm land.
Central MN Kashubian Villages from the Pomorskie Voivodeship
Village | Gmina | Powiat |
Binduga | Konarzyny | Chojnice |
Borzyszkowy | Lipnica | Bytów |
Brusy | Brusy | Chojnice |
Brzeźno Szlacheckie | Lipnica | Bytów |
Ciemno | Tuchomie | Bytów |
Czersk | Czersk | Chojnice |
Kartuzy | Kartuzy | Kartuzy |
Konaryzyny | Konarzyny | Chojnice |
Lesno | Brusy | Chojnice |
Lipnica | Lipnica | Bytów |
Sierackowice | Sierackowice | Kartuzy |
Central MN Kashubians from the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship
Some Morrison County Poles emigrated from the Tuchola Powiat, which is technically not Kashubia, but right on the border. Some Kashubians were born or married in the Tuchola Powiat, then later moved to Kashubian villages before emigrating to the U.S.
Village | Gmina | Powiat |
Cekcyn | Cekcyn | Tuchola |
Lubiewo | Lubiewo | Tuchola |
Kashubian Association of North America (KANA) Articles about Specific Kashubian Villages
village | Issue | Page | Title/author |
---|---|---|---|
Wiele | Summer 1997 | 10 | Description of Wiele From Slownik Geograficzny Translated by William Hoffman |
Lipusz | Spring 1997 | 5 | Lipusz Church Records FamilySearch has limited records for this church – it seems that there are more available from the Gdansk Archives |
Borzyszkowy | Spring 1999 | 1 | The Old Church in Borzyszkowy by Peter von Lipinsky |
Borzyszkowy | Winter 1999-2000 | 3 | The Inside Story – Borzyszkowy Church part 2 by Peter von Lipinsky |
Pelplin, Skoszewo, Lesno | Summer 1999 | 4, 5 | Excerpts from Slownik Geograficzny Translated by Renata Stachowicz |
Lesno | Fall 2001 | 9 | Legend of the Paradise Apple of Lesno by Sylvia Bukowska |
Karsin and Dabrowa | Fall 2001 | 12 | Excerpts from Slownik Geograficzny Translated by Renata Stachowicz |
Czersk | Spring 2002 | 13 | Excerpts from Slownik Geograficzny Translated by Renata Stachowicz |
Puck | Spring 2002 | 7 | How the Kashubian Town of Puck Got Its Unusual Name by John Hingst |
Czapiewice, Czarnowo, Liniewo, Małe Liniewo | 5 | 5 | Villages in Poland Translated by Renata Stachowicz |



Photos taken by Paula Colwell in the village of Wiele in 1988



Photos taken by Paula Colwell in the village of Wiele in 2018