The name of the city refers to the pre-industrial period, when the inhabitants of Rybnik made their living mainly by fishing, and in the place of today's market square there was a large pond, Rybnik. The name derives from the Polish name meaning a pond intended for fish farming. The town was first mentioned in the Latin document of Pope Gregory IX issued on May 26, 1230 in the currently used Polish form Rybnik in the fragment in Kozle castellaturam de Racziborz circa Rybnik. The Latin Liber fundationis episcopatus Vratislaviensis, written down in the years 1295–1305, lists the villages established under Polish law iure polonico, the present districts of Rybnik, which were absorbed by the city in urbanization processes, such as Gotartowice in the fragment of Gothartovitz decima solvitur more polon solvico, Boguszowice in the fragment Boguszowice more polonico, Chwałowice in the fragment of Chwalowitz solvitur decima more polonico and Kłokocin as Clocochina in the fragment of Clocochina decima more polonico. Historical documents recorded as separate towns other present districts of the city: in 1228 Niedobczyce as Nedobcici, in 1531 Ochojec - Ochotzetz, in 1228 Chwałowice as Falevich and in 1305 Quelowicz, in 1532 Popielów as Popelaw, in 1614 Orzepowice Ożepowice. In 1750, the name Rybnik was mentioned in Polish by Frederick II among other Silesian cities in an official order issued for the inhabitants of Silesia. pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rybnik rybnik.eu