As a child of a Polish family of Jewish origin, Gumplowicz grew up in a family that was part of a progressive Jewish group that advocated for a comprehensive social assimilation program for all Jews. Before the outbreak of the "January Insurrection of 1863", the Gumplowicz family's home was one of the outposts of conspiracy, and during the Insurrection, it had become not only a lodging place for vulnerable youth, but also a refuge for the wounded. Ludwik's father, Abraham, assisted in the insurgency's planning, and his two older brothers fought alongside him. Ludwik Gumplowicz and his wife both converted to Calvinism to escape prevailing antisemitism.