The Masurians or Mazurs (Polish: Mazurzy; German: Masuren; Masurian: Mazurÿ), historically also known as Prussian Masurians (Polish: Mazurzy pruscy), are a Polish ethnic group originating from the region of Masuria, within the modern-day Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland. They number around 5,000 to 15,000 people. In the 2011 Polish census, 1,376 individuals declared themselves to be Masurian as either a first or a secondary identification. Before World War II and its post-war expulsions, Masurians used to be a more numerous ethnic group found in the southern parts of East Prussia for centuries following the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Today, most Masurians live in what is now Germany and elsewhere.
Masurians are mostly descendants of colonists from Mazovia, but many of them have their roots in Germany, Lithuania, France, Austria, Scotland, the Netherlands and Russia. Some research also indicate the admixture of the remains of the Old Prussians. These settlers moved to the Duchy of Prussia during and after the Protestant Reformation. They spoke the Masurian dialects. Since the mid-19th century, High German was increasingly used among Masurians as opposed to Low German used by most of East Prussia's German population. Many Masurians were often bilingual in German and Polish languages. In the 19th century, the Masuria region of East Prussia was named after the Masurians.
