The Two Lipnica's
Lipnica Wielka, Poland was known as Veĺká Lipnica in Slovak, Slovakia prior the Slovak/Polish border change in 1920. In both languages the name of the village means "greater Lipnica". The word "Lipnica" is the name of the brook which runs the length of the town and derives its name from the "Lipa" or local species of Linden tree which grows along its banks.
Lipnica Wielka is currently the largest town in the region known locally as "Orawa". Orawa (Slovak Oravka) comes from the Slovak "Orava"which was once the county name before the border change. The population of Lipnica Wielka is now around 5,300. Most inhabitants are still farmers. The village is almost ten miles long and was first settled by fleeing peasants from Zywiec, Poland in the early 1600's.
Lipnica Mała or "lesser" Lipnica (Slovak Malá Lipnica) is a village nearby built along the banks of Syhlec creek. It is smaller, but also settled by Zywiec peasants. Many of the same family surnames are common to both these villages.
Both are in the Polish county (Powiat) of Nowotarski.
In the Arva megye, the villages are F. (felso) Lipnicza and A. (also) Lipnicza. Many of the immigration records use these older names.