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From whom did the surname originate? Where did my last name come from? How to find out? What does your last name mean

The word "surname" is of Roman origin. Initially, it meant a collection of slaves belonging to one family. However, having come to Europe, the word "surname" changed its meaning and began to indicate the members of a family themselves. A surname in the 17th and 18th centuries was often a nickname, and only by the 19th century did the surname acquire the meaning of a second hereditary name.

Thus, the whole history of one family can be concluded in the surname. The study of surnames of their origin is carried out by etymology, which is one of the sections of linguistics. This study is based on a comparative historical analysis of words.

For the first time, surnames in Rus' began to appear among the nobles and boyars, starting from the 14th century. Many surnames of noble families were based on the names of cities and localities that were part of the family estates. For example, Beloselsky or Shuisky. Hereditary surnames can often be found on the pages of documents dating back to the 15th century. Not a small number of the first surnames were "brought" from abroad and belonged to the boyars invited by the tsar to serve. There were also surnames of princely families formed at the place of reign. However, by the 19th century, only five such genera descended from Rurik remained.

In those centuries, the surname, as a reflection of the genealogy of the family, the memory of the ancestors, was noble privilege, and among the peasants it was replaced by a patronymic or nickname. Thus, strange as it may sound, until the end of the 18th century, most of the country's population did not have surnames. Although it is worth noting that the names of icon painters, for example, the monk Rublev, have survived to this day.

In 1719, the Senate issued a decree introducing travel letters for foreigners. In fact, these were the prototypes of the current passports, because. they indicated not only the surname and name of the person, but also the place of departure and arrival, information about the family and occupation. And at the end of the 18th century, by decree of Paul I, a common armorial of noble families appeared, allowing you to track the genealogy of noble families.

The issue of surnames peasant class arose along with the abolition of serfdom. Many liberated peasants took the full or modified surname of their former owner. Others formed it from a patronymic, and still others from a nickname. But this process turned out to be long, not everyone seemed obligatory, and until the end of the 19th century, part of the population still managed without surnames. Only in 1888 was a decree issued obliging every citizen to be called by a surname.

Where did the surnames come from?

Before the abolition of serfdom in Russia, more than half of the peasant surnames that existed then came from patronymics and were not hereditary. This is evidenced by various historical documents: church metrics, revision tales, and so on. On the pages of these documents, combinations like Ivan Petrov Sidorov are often found. In the above example, Ivan is the first name, Sidorov is the surname, and Petrov is the patronymic. Surprising as it may seem today, in those centuries patronymics ended in -ov, -ev or -in. Only noble people could count on the ending familiar to us -ich. Such nominal surnames usually testify that among the ancestors of a person there was also one who bore the name indicated in the surname.

Many are interested in knowing how their surname came about, the secret of which is hidden behind the antiquity of years. Turning to our website, you can find out the origin of the surname in general, and also find out how it appeared in Rus'.

Why look for the origin of the surname

For a person, a surname plays an important role, which is comparable with the name and date of birth. The history of the surname influences the human character and destiny, as the wheel of fortune turns in different directions, driven by family vibrations and energy.

Are you interested in the history of its origin and want to pull off the veil of mystery? Would you like to know what exactly your last name means? Or maybe you want to find out where the ancestral root of your family came from?

By contacting us, you can find out all the secrets regarding the family tree of your family. If you have to change your last name, then you need to keep in mind that this can change fate radically. Our experts will help determine the history of the origin of the family roots different ways and also find out what secret is hidden from you.

What allows you to do a pedigree search? You will be able to find out:

historical information about your family;
what characteristic features possessed by your kind;
where did the ancestors live?
what they did and were interested in;
where distant relatives with whom communication is lost live;
all information about ancestors;
which family traditions and traditions exist in the family.

What does the surname mean and when was it formed

When a person is born, he is given a name, while the surname is inherited. Fathers and mothers choose our names for us, the ancestors (great-grandfathers and grandfathers) became the people from whom the surnames originated. Who was your ancestor? What secrets does the surname hide? Maybe your ancestors were noble people, but you don’t know about it yet, since after the revolution it was not customary to openly talk about your noble origin.

Therefore, the history of the origin of the surname is now considered very hot topic for all citizens not only of the Russian Federation, but also of the world. We will help you unravel the mystery of your last name, its formation and distribution throughout the earth.

The word "surname" is of ancient Roman origin, according to many researchers. They also argue that another concept was hidden behind this word. So the inhabitants of Ancient Rome called a group of people, a community that included people belonging to a rich and respected estate, as well as their slaves.

The unification of people and their formation into certain group communities took place thanks to the word Familia, even with such a meaning. A simple solution to any financial and political issues on the territory of a large state took place on the basis of this definition. In addition, the lower strata of the population were easily controlled.

When the Great Roman Empire collapsed, information about surnames was hidden under the cover of secrecy for many centuries. How was the formation of surnames in the Middle Ages?

Consider the history of this phenomenon by country:

The terminology only becomes widespread in various Italian regions at the end of the 10th century.. The country is in those days the most powerful and influential European power. And what is the reason for this? Scientists are still hotly arguing about this. The emergence of the institution of inheritance in Italy is the most plausible and reasonable variation of the answer to the question of the origin of the surname. This is due to the fact that the borders began to expand and citizens of neighboring countries began to communicate closely. Surnames could also arise due to the political claims of Italy, which considered itself the most powerful state, and therefore wanted citizens of other countries to obey its subjects.
After some time, the French inhabitants also picked up new trend , was created whole line special institutions specialized in the compilation of a pedigree. In those days, this service was provided only by wealthy noble families.
The adoption of the surname in England continued for a greater amount of time. The end of this process falls on the 15th century. On the territory of remote Scottish and Welsh regions, the formation of surnames continued for many more decades.
Citizens of Germany, Denmark and Sweden were organized their own family institutions at the end of the 16th century, as they were forced to play the game according to general rules, because in that time period a person who did not have a surname was considered an inferior member of society.
The authorities of the Central European states such a definition as "surname" was forcibly introduced. But after some time, people quickly seized on new opportunities, although for several centuries the surname had only a nominal designation.

Surnames have become widespread since the end of the 18th century.

What is the meaning of surnames

What a surname means for a person is difficult to overestimate. From the time the child enters the 1st grade of the school, they stop calling him simply Katya, Sasha or Sonya, but they also begin to call him Volkova, Belov, Romanova. This important "increase" becomes the one Starting point which leads to human maturation. The distinction of people by surname occurs from this time. The exceptions are close relatives, friends and acquaintances.

The first impression about a person is due to the surname. For example, having heard a surname, you can almost accurately determine the nationality of its bearer. If you know the meaning of the surname, you can get a lot of knowledge about your ancestors, ancestors. Where a person lived, was tall or small, noisy or quiet, his occupation can be found out by the name of the surname. The root of the surname is hidden in personal name or human nickname, professional skills, place of residence.

The history of the origin of the surname in Rus'

Surnames in Rus' began to appear in the 12-13th centuries. This process became widespread in the 16th century, and its completion falls on the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century. Where this or that surname came from, experts can determine for certain, but they distinguish several variations that combine several hundred surnames.

The nicknames led to the origin of the surname:

Begin to form at the turn of the 12th-13th centuries. The names of the parents, where the person was born, what he did, were contained in the root part of the resulting word. What can be traced in the family ending -ich or -ov. For example, Petrovich, Popov.
During the 14-15-year period, numerous boyar and noble families begin to be called. It was during this time period that noble family names appeared: Shuisky, Gorbatov, Travin, Trusov, Kobylin.
At the same time, surnames appear, derived from nicknames, which are characterized negative traits appearance or character. For example, Oblique, Krivosheev and others.
Peasant surnames begin their education from generic nicknames. For example, Lyubimov, Zhdanov.
Since ancient times, the name was considered a kind of amulet that directs the fate of a person in the right direction.. Therefore, surnames originated from given names in order to correct human karma. For example, on behalf of Nekras, the Nekrasov family appeared, Golod - Golodov.
Surnames formed from the name of the father are widely used. For example, a descendant of Vasily began to be called Vasiliev, a descendant of Peter - Petrov, a descendant of Sidor - Sidorov.

Close contact between Western and Eastern countries, which occurred towards the end of the 15th century, served as the beginning of the formation foreign surnames. At the same time, Turkic borrowings took place in Rus'. Similar surnames appear before the beginning of the 20th century. Thus, tribal communities of the Yusupovs, Karamzins, Baskakovs arose.

At the beginning of the 18th century, Peter the Great introduced "traveling letters" indicating the name and surname (or nickname), that is, since that time, almost everyone living in Russian territories had a surname, albeit unofficially. But this phenomenon was common only in the central Russian regions. On the outskirts, citizens did not have a surname until the mid-30s of the 20th century, when passports began to be handed over to residents of the country.

What a person did and where he lived also contributed to the emergence of a surname. In the 16th-19th centuries, surnames appeared based on what a person was doing. So the Rybins, Kovalevs, Goncharovs appeared. Surnames appear in the place where a person was born or lived in this moment. In particular, many surnames appeared at the moment when the lands beyond the Ural Mountains were settled. For example, the Ustyugovs, the Verkhoturtsevs.

Among the clergy, the appearance of surnames occurred in the middle of the 18th century.

Their education often came from which parish or church the priest served. For example, Pokrovsky, Kosmodemyansky, Blagoveshchensky and others. Until that time, they were called father Vasily, father or priest Ivan. Their children, if necessary, were called Popovs. Some clergy acquired surnames when they graduated from the seminary.

They became Athenian, Palmine, Cypress, Myagkov, Gilyarov. If the students excelled in their studies, then they received the benefit sonorous surnames with a positive connotation. They were called Brilliant, Dobromyslov, Speran, Dobrolyubov. If the student received bad grades, then he received a dissonant surname. For example, it was called Gibraltar. In addition, the student could get a surname that was formed on behalf of a negative biblical character, including he could be called Saul, Pharaoh.

How to find out the history of your last name: simple ways and professional

At first, each person can himself make an attempt to find his roots. Parents, grandparents, and other older relatives can help you with this. It is possible to make records of all data on ancestors in a notebook. You can find out about relatives both on the maternal side and on the paternal side. When a large amount of information is accumulated, everything can be stated on a piece of drawing paper.

In the upper part, indicate the data that you managed to find out by first names, patronymics, surnames, indicating when you were born and where your oldest ancestors lived. In addition, it is worth recording the number of marriages of the grandparents with the names of their wives and husbands, as well as the number of children they have and the dates of their birth.

A lot of information will be given by the occupation of your ancestors. For example, your ancestor was a shoemaker, so you are Sapozhnikov. Or there was a service person in the family, so you, for example, Bombardiers. If your ancestor was a fisherman, now you are called Sturgeons. Or maybe you are a carrier of a family trait obtained due to a particular appearance, which is why you began to be called Ear, Nasal.

With insufficient information collected from relatives, you can turn to the World Wide Web. On various sites you can find out the essence of the origin of your surname. If the resources ask you to enter any amount of money, then this may lead to the fact that funds will be withdrawn from you, and no assistance will be provided. On our website you can find out where your family branch came from. Here you can also find distant relatives, by writing a message to them, you can find out information about where the family originated from.

Our experts will help you find out everything about rare family data. Having previously learned information from historical and archival information, our employees will professionally compile family tree.

Professional research on the origin of the surname

If independent searches could not help with finding out the history of the origin of the surname, feel free to contact our specialists who will help solve all the questions that have arisen on this problem.

We provide the following services:

At the first stage, professionals will be able to verify all the data you have collected by talking to your relatives, as well as filling in the missing information. This stage is carried out in a period of 2 to 4 weeks.
At the same time as the first stage, specialists systematize the information received, enter the data into a special program with the construction of a prototype family tree.
Carrying out a genealogical examination of the information received, including DNA, during which it is determined whether there is enough information for research, as well as where to find the missing data. This stage takes place within 2-4 weeks.
Search for information in archives.
Analysis of the information received with the preparation of estimates.
Compilation of reporting information, as well as the creation of a family tree with the subsequent registration of the results of the work carried out. This stage takes place within 2-3 months.

How to use the information

After receiving and processing all the information, our specialists can submit a report in the form of:

compiled family tree;
compiled genealogical book;
a movie about the history of the origin of your family name.

Let's dwell on each of the points in more detail.

Drawing up a family tree

In our company, the family tree of the surname can be ordered in the form of paintings, diagrams, panels, as well as shezhere. The customer can decide how the report should look. It can be depicted schematically, drawn on canvas, or it can be cut out on a wooden board and look like a panel. In addition, the coat of arms, local attractions, cartographic fragments, photographs can be presented, and you can also decorate the report with a variety of ornaments.

If the client wishes, LED lighting can be placed inside the frame. All materials are processed to prevent premature failure. The family tree can be kept in your family for a long time.

Compilation of a genealogical book

All collected information can be framed as a genealogy book. In addition to information about the surname, it will contain family legends, family traditions, documentary photocopies, as well as photographs highlighting the history of the surname's origin.

This book, which includes the most valuable information, will be an invaluable encyclopedic fount of knowledge, passed down from generation to generation.

Making a film about the history of the origin of your family name

For every family, a film is important in which all its members play the main roles. Our company can offer a film based on events that really happened to you and your family.

We offer documentaries in the form of:

family film-portrait;
dedications to one person or a married couple;
a movie, during which the essence of the origin of the surname is investigated;
narrations about the military hard times or about the events taking place in the childhood of the hero;
a fascinating genre documentary story covering the events that happened to the hero;
documentary reconstruction of past events;
contemporary life events.

Professionals will be involved in the work on the film. The film will be shot by directors, screenwriters, cameramen, editors, sound engineers, composers and recorded on the media of the High Quality. The finished masterpiece will be recorded on the hard disk. Your personal life will become a source for shooting an exciting, exclusive film.

The full cost of a family pedigree

Before carrying out all the work, our specialists will be able to calculate the full cost of the services provided. Conducting a genealogical examination costs 95 thousand rubles. If specialists conduct a DNA examination, then its cost is 85 thousand rubles.

Contact our company, and in just 2-3 months you will be able to find out all the data about the history of your last name!

Maria Soboleva

What does a surname mean? How to find out

What does a surname mean - everyone is interested in learning about its origin, about the history of a kind. Is it possible to find such information on your own or is it better to turn to specialists?

Surname mystery

What does a surname mean - this question can be answered by a special science called anthroponymy.

And the surname itself, what it is - the personal name of each of us, which passes from generation to generation, our family name. Even your distant ancestors were Smirnovs or Kovalenko, and now you proudly bear this name.

Specialists in the field of anthroponymy are akin to archaeologists, they are trying to get to the bottom of the origins of generic names, to find out the history of their origin. Answering the question of what a surname means, scientists learn a lot interesting facts from history, ethnography, geography.

Origin of the surname

There are simple and understandable surnames that do not require special explanations - it’s already clear to everyone that the generic name Kuznetsov comes from the blacksmith’s craft that was once in demand (and in Ukraine there are variations of surnames that occurred due to the profession: Koval, Kovalchuk, Kovalko).

But if you are the owner of a surname that is not entirely clear to the ear and mind, then, of course, quite reasonable questions arise: what does the surname mean and how to find out?

Today on the Internet there are many sites that offer surname dictionaries, opened, read and ordered. But how true is such information and what to do if your generic name is not there?

There are two ways to go: an independent search for the truth and setting such a task for specialists.

What the surname means, your older relatives can tell you. In some families, they carefully keep the history of their kind, they know about their ancestors up to the fifth or seventh generation.

You can look through books on anthroponymy, various reference books and dictionaries. Information is also sought from the archives.

But this path is not for everyone - you need to be very meticulous, scrupulous and persistent.

There are sites on the Internet that help you create annals of your family, look for relatives, find out what a surname means and what its origin is.

Enthusiasts collect information about generic names, perhaps in this way you will find out what interests you. For example, the GenWAY resource, whose motto is “More than a family”, or the Internet project “All-Russian Genealogical Tree”.

Creating a chronicle of your kind is a great way to unite the family.

It is easier, of course, to seek help from specialists who will help you find out what the surname means. Firms that conduct such research have access to an extensive database - they use information from registry offices, parish archives, historical documents: military lists, merchant books, judicial records of tsarist times.

The only question is whether you have the means to pay for such services, because finding out what a surname means is sometimes not easy, and the search for the truth takes a lot of time.

But on the other hand, you will not only learn about the origin of the surname, but you will also be able to order a family tree, draw up your family tree, and receive a family diploma.

Surname Meaning

At first, representatives of noble families acquired surnames, starting from the end of the 14th century. Following the nobles, princes and boyars, artisans, merchants, and service people began to receive generic names. They entered into transactions, took on various obligations, and the document had to bear a signature confirming ownership.

But people of a lower social status did not have a surname as such. Even the head of the people's militia in 1611-1612, Minin, does not have a surname, but a designation that he is the son of Mina. It is already the descendants who inherited the name of the hero.

During their lives, people of a low class could be renamed at will by boyars, governors, clerks. He was Fedotov (after his father), became Krivoshein (according to his appearance).

Even the reforms of Peter I, who introduced the word “surname” into the Russian language and ordered to conduct “revisions” - population censuses, did not make the surname of a simple peasant permanent and inheritable.

Only with the introduction of passports in Soviet time hereditary surnames were finally established. But old surnames many have come down to us. For example, Streltsov - from the name "Sagittarius" (a soldier of the Streltsy army).

More examples: what does the surname Ordyntsev mean - this is how people were called by belonging to the Golden Horde, Tolmachev - from the word "interpreter" (translator).

Some surnames are derived from borrowed names. If Ivanov, Lukin and Fomin are familiar to our ears, then hardly anyone can guess the origin of the heroically glorified surname Susanin from the Western European name Susanna.

But the frequent surname Laktionov comes from Galaktion (just for the convenience of pronunciation, the first syllable was cut off).

What the surname means, in some cases it is easy to guess for yourself:

from the names of animals - Zaitsev, Sokolov, Shchukin;

from geographical names- Muromov, Dneprov, Shuisky;

in honor of religious holidays - Assumption, Vozdvizhensky;

according to external signs: Sukhorukov, Krivtsov, Shcherbak (devoid of front teeth);

from family nicknames - Malyshev (from baby), Menshikov (from Menshik - the youngest in the family);

in accordance with character traits - Molchanov, Shustrikov, Zlenko;

by occupation - Melnikov, Rybakov, Kravchenko (from "kravets" - cutter);

derivatives from craft objects - Shapkin, Shilov;

from the nicknames of immigrants from other places - Nemchinov, Karelin, Tatarenko;

"household" surnames - Kuleshov, Pirogov, Ovsyannikov, Kochergin.

What the surname means is not only interesting, but also useful to know, because the history of your family is encrypted in it.

Find out the meaning of your last name, make a genealogical tree of your family (a great birthday present for mom), so that the memory of your ancestors is passed on next generation. Everyone should know their roots.

Take it, tell your friends!

What is a surname?

The surname, according to many explanatory dictionaries, denotes a common name for all members of one family, which is transmitted from father to son, and so on.
From Latin familia is translated as "family, clan". Since ancient Rome this concept denoted the family legal unit leading common household. It was made up of family members, blood relatives and even slaves. This name passed by inheritance, marriage, adoption.
From French and German, to explanatory dictionary V. Dahl, the surname denoted the family, clan, blood ties, ancestors, nickname. For example: family teas, "he is from a noble family", familiar address (in a family way, in a familiar way, in a brotherly way), familiarity (to make friends and close relations with someone, to fraternize).

We examined all the concepts in the dictionaries of what a surname is, and now we will figure out when people got a surname.

Historical information

The history of the surname as a concept begins in Ancient Rome. It was there, among the tribal nobility, that it began to be inherited. Usually a surname was given according to the place of birth or residence of a person, where his possessions were located.

IN European countries the tradition of passing on the surname of ancestors began only in the 15th century. And that was the advantage of noble people, a small handful of aristocrats. The rest of the mass of poor working people used only names.

The appearance of surnames in Rus'

The first historical data on the appearance of the surname date back to the 13th century. At first they understood what a surname is, citizens of Veliky Novgorod and the region from Baltic Sea before Ural mountains, which belonged to the possessions of this principality. Of course, these were representatives of noble families. In 1268, in the annals one could read about Tverdislav Chermny and Nikifor Radiatinich, etc. These were the "good" boyars.

The princes received their second name by the name of their lands. For example, Obolensky, Vyazemsky. But some received surnames from nicknames. For example, Humpbacked, Tongue-headed, Coward, Mare, Toothless.

Then there are already messages in the documents about the names of princes and high boyars living in the Moscow principality. Russian surnames were single, sometimes written with a hyphen. From the end of the 15th century, the first surnames with foreign roots appeared at that time, depending on whose descendants were, immigrants from which countries. For example, Karamzin, Akhmatov, Lermontov, Bakhteyarov.

Surnames of the poor people

Most of the inhabitants of the country, belonging to commoners, did not have surnames. They had such an opportunity only after the abolition of serfdom in 1861. Before this function carried out various nicknames, the name of the owner of the serf. All the inhabitants of villages and villages belonging to the landowner were subjected to enslavement.

This phenomenon has become widespread since the 16th century. In the documents, the peasants were drawn up as follows: "Ivan, Mikhailov's son, nicknamed Crooked Nose." Serfdom did not spread to the northern regions of Russia, and there people had real surnames that were inherited. The most famous peasant of those regions, who glorified his last name, is Mikhail Lomonosov. The Cossacks and the inhabitants of present-day Belarus had the surname of their father. They used to be considered residents of the lands of the Commonwealth, and the entire population of the black earth provinces were given surnames.

Most of the surnames originated from the name of the father, according to the baptismal name or the name of one of the famous ancestors. The first census in 1897 revealed that more than 75% of the people inhabiting the country did not have a surname at all, especially residents of the outskirts and remote areas.

After granting the right to all the people to have their own surname, registration took a long time. The process of obtaining a surname for each person was completed only in the 1930s. By this time, all the nationalities of the great Soviet Union were covered.

Whose? Whose?

The appearance of the surname is different, but more than 60% of all surnames given to Russian people are formed by the name of the ancestor - father or grandfather. Previously, they asked the question: "Whose? Whose will you be?" The answer was the following: "My surname is Petrov, that is, the son of Peter, Alekseev is the son of Alexei, etc." Therefore, most of the surnames have common suffixes -ov/-ev. A study of the history of surnames showed that they came not only from names, but also from the nicknames of people. For example, the father had a nickname - Beardless or Clubfoot, then the son's surname was Bezborodov or Kosolapov.

But there were other suffixes as well. If the name of the ancestor ended in a hard consonant, then they wrote -ov(Ivan - Ivanov, Plato - Platonov). If the names of relatives ended in a soft consonant, a suffix was already added here -ev. For example, Porfiry - Porfiryev, Ignatius - Ignatiev. If the names ended in -а or -я, then the suffix was put -in. For example, if the name is Ilya - my last name is Ilyin, Afonya - Afonin, Yerema - Eremin.

But some authorities did not recognize such surnames that ended in -in or -y/-y. Such surnames were forcibly replaced by others in which the generally accepted suffixes -ov were found. For example, a person had the surname Kuzmin, it was altered during the census, especially in the area of the Don Cossacks, to Kuzminov, and the surname Bedny to Bednov.

But there were separate regions, where surnames with the suffix -in belonged to more than half of the population. This is mainly the Volga region.

There were also surnames that were created by numerous additions various suffixes. For example, Ignat - Ignatyuk - Ignatyuchenko - Ignatyuchenkov.

Name of professions

Many people associate the origin of the surname with the species labor activity. If the worker was a carpenter, then he was given the surname Stolyarov. Such roots include the following surnames: Kuznetsov, Bocharov, Diggers, Kulinarov, Carpenters, Water Carriers, Goncharov, Kovalev. They began to do this due to the fact that people often repeated names, and there were a small number of second baptismal names. And the workers had many professions.

Surnames of priests

The clergy began to take sonorous surnames only from the 18th century. The names of parishes and different churches were used. For example, Trinity, Preobrazhensky. Some took euphonious names for themselves, using Latin names: Reformed, Gilyarovsky, Athenian. After graduating from the seminary, the teachers gave the students surnames that corresponded to the capabilities, efforts and behavior of the seminarians. Good students received such surnames - Dobromyslov, Tikhomirov, Nadezhdin. Bad students got less sonorous, bearing names negative characters from the Bible. For example, Saul or Gibraltar.

The advent of passports

During the reign of Peter I, due to the fact that the poll tax and recruitment duty were introduced, the Senate Decree of June 18, 1719 was adopted, which ordered all residents to have police records. In another way, they were called travel letters or passports. The document indicated the name, surname of a person or his nickname, permanent place of residence, information about Family status, what was the name of the father, the family members who traveled with him, and the direction of travel.

Emperor Paul I in 1797 ordered the compilation of a General armorial of all noble families. The work was done tremendously. More than 3,000 of all family names were collected, as well as the coats of arms of each noble family.

Modern passports

Every person in the world has a passport, which indicates his name (in some patronymics), surname. Address specified permanent residence, Family status.

There are rules for changing the name in the passport. This may happen:

By own will. For example, when the surname got indecent or offensive - Bukhalo, Stsykun or Grave. A person is not obliged to bear the burden of some distant ancestor who got that last name. Although this procedure is long and troublesome, it is quite possible, especially if you like your mother's surname.
When adopting a child, or vice versa.
When switching to the surname of the husband or wife after marriage.
In the event of a divorce, the spouse may revert back to her maiden name.

When changing a surname to another, all existing documents will have to be redone: a passport, an identification code, a will, medical cards in a district clinic, car registration, bank cards, a driver's license, a student's certificate, documents on insurance policies, etc.

A study of the history of surnames showed that it is possible to learn from it historical data, the social status of ancestors, their spiritual world and type of activity. This work is very educational. If you want to know the history of your last name, there are many websites that describe historical origin some common surname.

In the article, we will suggest various methods to help you in your investigation.

Names have been used to clarify the carrier's family since its inception. In ancient times, with the help of such nicknames, people designated the sphere professional activity, peculiarities appearance or personal characteristics characteristic of a particular community.

It is these details that have attracted the attention of many people who want to know the origin of their middle name in order to discover many previously unknown secrets. By revealing your origin, you will be able to understand the following:

Who were your ancestors.
Where they were born.
Who worked.
Distinctive features of character and appearance.
What class did they belong to?

Surname as a family history: then and now

Previously, such designations were used for convenience. They were not permanent, and over time, a person could earn himself a new nickname. Now this expression has a completely different function. The second name is used to indicate blood ties and belonging to a particular family. It carries with it the history of the family and the continuity of generations.

Previously, not everyone could get hallmark kind. It had to be earned. Often the presence of such a designation suggested noble roots and served as a symbol of uniqueness, difference from everyone else. Now everyone receives it from birth and does not give it due attention. Few people are interested in information that is hidden in one word.

Despite this, you can still find your origins, your ancestors and pay tribute to them to this day. With the development of the Internet, this has become even easier. Now, in order to understand how to find out the history of origin and the meaning of your last name, you can use specialized online portals. They store archives. With their help, you can not only find brothers or sisters, but also calculate the place and approximate date of birth of great-grandfathers, the cause of death and other important branches of development of your family.

Don't be discouraged if you don't find anything in the archives. There is a second way. In this case, you need to turn to experts who will help you find your roots, as well as conduct an analysis. The study will examine all available data. After that, the specialist will be able to tell you a lot about your family and name, as well as draw up a family tree.

How to find out family history by last name

Before answering main question, let's look at how middle names were formed in our country. The main reason for their occurrence was the need to introduce an identifier. With the growth of villages, cities and villages, more and more people with the same names appeared.

Nicknames were given to people as an identification mark. Someone chose him for himself, someone got them because of their features. Serfs could not choose a nickname on their own. They were called whatever their owner wanted them to be. From this came a large number of unpleasant and humiliating names. Experts say that Shcherbakov (a) is primarily a reference to distinguishing feature appearance, disproportionate to the large gap between the teeth.

The easiest way to find out the history of ancestors is by the surname of the inhabitants of Veliky Novgorod. Chronicles have been kept in the city for eight centuries. According to ancient papers, it was here that the first nicknames appeared. Ancient archives have information about the participants in the Battle of the Neva.

In the upper strata of society, the designations of tribal affiliation appeared in the 1300s. They were given for special merits or spoke of attachment to some locality. The most famous are Donskoy, Shuisky or Nevsky. With the advent of foreign borrowings into Russian speech, surnames appeared in a foreign way: Karamzin or Fonvizin.

While the rich and famous people received big names, the common people were left without them. Despite all the attempts of Peter I to streamline the peasants, no significant changes occurred. It was during these years that the term came into use. It was borrowed from Latin, where "familia" means blood ties and family.

In the era of the reign of Peter I, audits began to be carried out - an analogue of the population census. Having a permanent nickname passed down from generation to generation would make things easier. But at that time there was no such tradition.

If a person did not have an invariable nickname, this meant that he belonged to the lower stratum of society. Constant changes in the middle name occurred with the birth of each new generation. This continued throughout the existence of the Russian Empire.

Proof of this will be the works written in those years. None of the world famous works no special designations for serfs are indicated. The works of Pushkin, Lermontov or Gogol confirm that only the nobility has a second name.

The family name did not appear just like that. It was invented in such a way that it corresponded to its carrier. The reason for the appearance could be the area in which the person lived, his profession or other distinctive features. Here are a few examples of the formation of such words, allowing you to find out the origin of the clan by last name.

On a national basis - Polyakov, Tatarinov, Kozak, Shvedov, Khokhlov.
By place of birth and residence - Sibiryak, Muromets, Samarin, Volgograd, Cherepovets, Arkhangelsk, Vyazemsky, Belozersky, Vyazmitin, Yaroslavtsev.
By profession - Goncharov, Kuznetsov, Rybakin, Kozhevnikov, Bochkarev, Kalashnikov, Konovalov, Bortnikov, Reznikov, Serdyukov.
By the name of the holiday on which the person was born - Annunciation, Sretensky, Vvedensky, Znamensky, Preobrazhensky, Voznesensky, Trinity, Christmas, Assumption, Resurrection, Pokrovsky.
According to the instrument with which he worked - Serpov, Altov, Molotov, Shilov.
Formed from the names of birds or animals - Lastochkin, Bykovsky, Golubinsky, Medvedev, Orlovsky, Lebedinsky, Lisitsyn, Pavsky, Barsov, Zverev, Volkov, Utkin, Vorobyov.
By the name of the parents: Ivanov, Illarionov, Georgiev, Alexandrov, Dmitriev, Alekseev, Pavlov, Petrov, Romanov, Fedorov, Egorov, Andreev.
In terms of intra-family relations - Malyshev, Menshikov, Starshov.
By distinctive features appearance - Belyaev, Chernyshov, Ryzhov, Chernyak, Lobach, Golovach, Levshin, Gubin, Glazunov.
According to personal characteristics - Molchanov, Mirolyubov, Tikhomirov, Chistyakov, Myagkov, Tikhonravov, Smelov, Smekhov, Song-singers, Ostroumov, Slavolubov.
By analogy with flowers and plants - Landyshev, Vinogradov, Lileev, Narcissus, Rozov, Violets, Ancharov, Tsvetkov, Apricots, Cypresses, Cedars, Almonds.
According to natural phenomena, cardinal points - Zarnitsky, Yugov, Klyuchevsky, Vostokov, Nebosklonov, Vetrinsky.

Having deciphered given name, you can find a lot of new information about your roots. The Goncharovs and Kuznetsovs had potters and blacksmiths in their families. The Yaroslavtsevs have roots in Yaroslavl. One of the ancestors of Rozhdestvensky was born on January 7, and the Chernyshevs had a grandfather or great-grandfather with dark color hair or eyes. This is how the meaning of words helps to know the history of the family and their ancestors by last name.

Separately, it is worth talking about seminary nicknames. They appeared much later, in the 1600s. Their carriers were clergy, and in the common people such designations began to be called priestly. These names were created intentionally and appeared due to the desire of the clergy to be closer to the people.

Nicknames were deliberately made harmonious and pleasant for perception. This emphasized the prestige of the profession of those who left the worldly life.

How to determine the origin of the surname at the end

In most cases, the second names of the church type were formed with the help of two suffixes -skyi and -tsky. The most popular include:

Derzhavinsky.
Trinity.
Sergievsky.
Dostoevsky.
Vetrinsky.
Apollonian.
Zarnitsky.
Desnitsky.
Bethlehem.
Athenian.
Benemansky.
Pavsky.

Such nicknames were based on words from the Latin vocabulary. The inspiration came from the names of saints, philosophers or the area where they were from. Most often, when compiling middle names, direct transliteration from a foreign language was used.

Now such nicknames are rare, and their pronunciation is surprising to people.
If in the designation emphasizing your belonging to the family, instead of the traditional suffixes ov / ev or yn / in, there are -sky and -sky, one of your ancestors was a clergyman, confessor.

How and where to find out the origin and history of a family by last name

If you decide to make a family tree or just study the history of your family, you will need information about the profession and field of activity of your ancestors. In the course of deciphering the nickname, it can be revealed that someone was a man of art, a brave warrior or skilled craftsman your business. Such information can not only tell a lot about your roots, but will also allow you to decide on the choice of specialty in the future.

To obtain such information, you need to contact the archives. On the Internet, you can find resources where in free access chronicles, historical papers and other useful documents lie. The only negative is that not every site will allow you to use sources for free.

We advise you to start your independent analysis with morphemic analysis. To do this, take your last name and highlight the prefix, suffix and ending. Next, you will need to find out from which word or phrase your family name comes from. To do this, let's get acquainted with the characteristic features of the names within different classes in Rus'.

nobles

This word denoted a group of people who were at the royal court and had many privileges. The prestigious status was passed down from generation to generation, and the surname of the representatives of this category was unchanged.

Consider the typical names of nobles:

Many persons belonging to the higher nobility received their title in the early 1600s. These include the Eropkin family.
Those who became princes, counts or barons were listed in the genealogical books. These are the Urusovs, the Lenchevskys, the Sushinskys.
Foreign nobles took middle names from foreign languages with characteristic prefixes "fon" or "de".

Merchants

Representatives of this class have always been held in high esteem in Rus'. It was this that was the factor due to which the merchants gained the possibility of a special name for their dynasty much earlier than the rest.

Consider the most famous generic designations:

Tretyakov.
Mammoths.
Schukin.
Eliseev.
Bakhrushin.
Demidov.

Servicemen

How to find the origin of such a surname? People who were in the service of the state and the king also had their own privileges and could bear a distinctive name that emphasizes blood ties. In most cases, it was given according to the area where wars and battles took place: Karelin, Kazantsev.

Peasants

Despite all attempts by the state to keep a record of this estate, officially the former servants acquired a permanent name only after the coup and revolution at the beginning of the 20th century. Often the nickname reflected the profession or external features person. The most common include:

Pivovarov.
Melnikov.
Kuznetsov.
Karetin.
White.

How and where to learn the history of the family

Let's look at a couple of tips to help you with this.

Ask family for help

Talk to your moms and dads, grandparents. They will tell a lot of new information: where your mother and father come from, what was maiden name on the maternal side, who are your distant relatives. Record everything important points: Dates of birth and death, marital status, and information about the profession of your ancestors.

Organize your workspace.

You can't keep everything in your head. Get a notebook or notebook to keep records and record all the data received. To simplify the task, you can create a family tree and mark your grandparents in it, tracking all the branches of your family.

Check out the family records

Find all old papers, birth certificates, and other important papers. With their help, you will find information about the profession and the roots of the ancestors. In the same way, you can find people who will provide new information and help you in your next search.

Today we found out how to find the origin of your surname and connect the data obtained with the history of the family, told what is needed for this. Don't waste time - start your own investigation right now.

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