In Rus', a person could often be called by occupation. Some forgotten and unknown professions are still found in various modern surnames.
The most common surnames of this type are - Kuznetsovs, Melnikovs, Rybakovs. But there are also less clear ones, the origin of which has been forgotten: some indicate a clear specialization and even individual stages of the technological process of past centuries.
Let's take, for example, in modern terms, textile and clothing production. The descendants of the ancient masters bear the surnames Tkachevs, Krasheninnikovs, Krasilnikovs, Sinelnikovs, Shevtsovs and Shvetsovs (from the word “shvets”, or “shevets”; Ukrainian version - Shevchenko), Kravtsovs (kravets - cutter; Ukrainian surname Kravchenko), Epaneshnikovs (epancha - clan cloak), Shubnikovs, Rukavishnikovs, Golichnikovs (golitsy are also mittens), Skaterschikovs, Tulupnikovs, etc.
Curious last name Pustovalov. Its original root is Don word "fat", that is, a fuller of woolen bedspreads - half. This word was simplified into “postoval”, which formed the surname Postovalov. But the meaning of the word “postoval” outside the Don regions was unclear, and the surname Postovalov was rethought, or rather, made meaningless - they began to say and write Pustovalov.
The craftsman who made the “berda” (combs on looms) was called a berdnik - hence the Berdnikovs.
Leatherwork and saddlery The ancestors of the Kozhevnikovs, Kozhemyakins, Syromyatnikovs, Ovchinnikovs, Shornikovs, Rymarevs, Sedelytsikovs, and Remennikovs were engaged in this activity.
Headwear specialists were the founders of the Kolpashnikovs, Shaposhnikovs, Shapovalovs, Shlyapnikovs.
Potters, pots, skulls engaged in ceramics. However, the inhabitants of Cherepovets were also called skulls!
Cooperage products made by the ancestors of the Kadochnikovs, Bondarevs, Bocharovs, Bocharnikovs, Bochkarevs.
There is a wide range of “flour millers” and “bakers” names. These are first of all the Melnikovs, then the Miroshnikovs, Prudnikovs, Sukhomlinovs, Khlebnikovs, Kalashnikovs, Pryanishnikovs, Blinnikovs, Proskurnikovs and Prosvirins (from proskur, prosvir or prosphora - a specially shaped loaf of bread used in Orthodox worship). It is curious that the surnames Pekarev and Bulochnikov are relatively rare: both original words entered our language later, only in the 18th century.
In the surname Sveshnikov no longer everyone guesses about the original - a candle; The ancestors of the Voskoboinikovs also made candles and other products from wax.
Production and sale of oil The ancestors of not only the Maslennikovs, but also the Oleynikovs or Aleynikovs, were engaged in: oley - vegetable oil.
Hardly any of us have met medical or veterinarians. In ancient times, our ancestors treated people Lekarevs and Balievs(baliy – doctor, healer), treatment of animals - the ancestors of the Konovalovs.
Many Russian surnames are formed from various names "trading people": Prasols and Shibais traded livestock; kramari, mosols, scrupulos and peddlers - small goods; dealers, maklaks and lighthouses walked around the villages as buyers, bourgeois sold old clothes, etc. The surname Rastorguev speaks for itself. But the Tarkhanovs seem to be descendants of the Tatars. Meanwhile, “Tarkhan” is a word, although of Tatar origin, but at one time it was widely used in the Russian environment. Tarkhans were the name given to traveling traders, usually Muscovites and Kolomna residents, and a hundred years ago on the Volga one could hear the following song:
Is it from someone else's side?
The Tarkhans have arrived,
Moscow region merchants,
All the guys are great.
The surname Tselovalnikov is also a “trade” name. Tselovalniks were people who were engaged in the government or private sale of wine at retail. It is natural to hear the question: what does the kiss have to do with it? But here’s the thing: when receiving the right to this very profitable trade, the kissers were obliged to “kiss the cross,” swearing that they would trade honestly and give the required percentage to the treasury.
And here is the most likely explanation of some other “professional” surnames:
Argunov– Argun (as Vladimir carpenters were called)
Bortnikov– Bortnik (a person engaged in forest beekeeping)
Bronnikov– Bronnik (gunsmith who makes armor)
Bulatnikov– Bulatnik (master who makes products from damask steel)
Voitov– Voight (village elder in some provinces of Tsarist Russia)
Vorotnikov– Collar (gatekeeper, gatekeeper)
Guselnikov– Guselnik (guslar)
Zhiveynov– Live cab driver (unlike a dray driver, he carried people, not loads)
Zemtsov– Zemets (beekeeper, beekeeper)
Kologrivov– Kologriv (servant at the royal horses (stood “near the mane”) or from the city of Kologriv)
Kolomiytsev– Kolomiets (in the old days in Ukraine, a worker mined salt, but may be a resident of the city of Kolomyia)
Commissioners– Commissioner (in the old days, an official who performed police functions)
Kukhmisterov– Kukhmister (keeper of the “kukhmisterskaya”, that is, the dining room)
Mechnikov– Swordsman (warrior armed with a sword)
Reznikov– Reznik (butcher who slaughters livestock)
Reshetnikov– Reshetnik (master who makes sieves)
Ruzhnikov– Ruzhnik (priest who received special allowance from the prince or parishioners)
Sopelnikov– Sopelnik (playing the sopel – an ancient pipe)
Serdyukov– Serdyuk (Cossack from the ataman’s guard)
Sotnikov– Sotnik (commander of a military unit - hundreds)
Stolnikov– Stolnik (servant at the royal table)
Syreyshchikov– Raw material buyer (buyer of raw meat)
Trubnikov– Trubnik (trumpet player)
Furmanov– Furman (cab driver)
Chumakov– Chumak (Ukrainian peasant who transported bread to the Don and brought salt and fish from there).
It should be added: “professional” surnames can also include those that originate not from the name of the profession, but also from the object of the craft itself. Thus, a hat maker could be nicknamed simply Shapka, and his descendants became Shapkins, a potter - Pot, a tanner - Skurat (which means a flap of leather), a cooper - Lagun (barrel). Other nicknames were given based on the tool of labor: a shoemaker could be called Awl, a carpenter - Ax, etc.
From literature lessons you know that likening by similarity is called metaphor, and likening by contiguity is called metonymy. Of course, separating metaphorical surnames from metonymic ones is not an easy task. After all, Barrel could be nicknamed for a fat man or a cooper, Shilom for a shoemaker or a sharp-tongued one. And if we know that, say, the founder of the Shilovs was both a shoemaker and a wit, then we just have to guess: which of these properties led to the formation of the surname. Maybe both at once.
And in conclusion, a logical question: Why do surnames reflect the names of new professions to such an insignificant extent? Yes, it’s very simple: in the 18th – 19th centuries, specialists, as a rule, already had their own hereditary surnames and did not need new ones. Of the more or less modern surnames of this kind, the Mashinistovs are the most common. But these are hardly the descendants of the first locomotive drivers. At the end of the 18th century, a machinist was a person who services any machine, that is, a machine worker or mechanic.
Based on materials from the book Fedosyuk Yu. A. “What does your last name mean?”
In the life of every person, everything connected with his past and the history of his family is very important, even if we do not remember every day how many destinies and stories lie behind the shoulders of our family, but for us it is our last name is a very significant part of one’s own individuality.
The surname, like a person’s name, reflects the tribute to our ancestors that we pay, passing on the memory of our own family from generation to generation.
Until the middle of the 19th century most Russian people didn't use surnames. The origin of surnames is of great interest, because at first they were used only by feudal lords, and only later they began to be used by peasants and commoners. In addition, in addition to names, patronymics and nicknames were previously used to replace them.
With the abolition of serfdom, a very difficult task arose, the solution of which took quite a lot of time: it was necessary to give yesterday's serfs surnames that recently only belonged to the upper strata of society. This is where their story begins.
Word "surname" It has Latin origin. In ancient Rome it applied only to slaves. But in Europe this word has spread with the meaning of “family”, “spouses”. In Slavic countries this word was first also used as “family”.
Having learned and remembered their last name for the rest of their lives in childhood, many perceive it simply as a given and very significant for us. A very popular question is what meaning does this or that carry, how does it affect its bearer and how significant is such an influence in life.
This thematic section provides a list popular surnames, which may not be exhaustive, but can certainly help shed light on what lies within their diversity.
The key is the ability to avoid cliches and hackneyed formulations. Because at this stage there is a lot of information that can hardly be called sufficiently reliable and accurate.
After all a surname is a legacy that a person carries throughout his life and passes on to his children, giving them a connection with the history of their ancestors over several generations.
Also, the surname is what we use when an official tone is needed in communication and more accurate identification of a particular person. The wife takes it from her husband, for her it is an expression of the promise of fidelity and trust in the chosen man. The diversity of surnames is a direct reflection of the culture of a nation, the breadth of development of its representatives and society.
Since ancient times, family nicknames and names have been used to emphasize a person’s belonging to his family. Previously, it could denote professional activity, characteristic features of the appearance or personal nature of its owner. That's whyfind out the history of the origin of the surnamefor researchers it means finding out a lot of interesting and important information from its carriers. Who they were, what they did and where they lived - all this information can be hidden and encrypted in the name of your family.
If previously nicknames were used for practical purposes and could be forgotten over time or changed due to circumstances, then the surname in the modern sense has a completely different meaning. It is directly related to pedigree, family history and continuity of generations. Unfortunately, we often take it for granted. We have been wearing it since childhood, without thinking about what family secrets are hidden in it. It is rarely seen as a source of pride, since now everyone receives it from birth. But previously this was the privilege of only nobles and noble families. This was a kind of reflection of the superiority of the nobility and the unity of family members.
You can pay tribute to your ancestors, honor their memory, strengthen kinship and family ties even today. You just have to put in a little effort and find outHow to find out the history of your family by last name. Online services for freeoffer access to archives containing large lists detailing the supposed location, cause and approximate time of origin, down to the century. You can use them, or contact specialists who will help you calculate your roots, tell you why the genus was named that way, and even draw up a family tree.
If you have enough patience and enthusiasm, try to find out the meaning of your last name yourself. You will learn how to do this from our article, where we have collected a variety of useful tips on this topic.
How to find out the origin of your last name: freeexcursion into history
First, let's remember how the nicknames of our ancestors were formed in Ancient Rus'. We call them nicknames, since it is impossible to attribute them to the modern definition of a surname. They were given to make it easier to recognize a person or contact him, and changed over time. As for forced peasants, their family name could generally change at the whim of the master. The owners especially liked to have fun by inventing offensive and offensive nicknames. For example, someone born Ignatov (by the name of an ancestor) became Shcherbakov (by external sign - the absence of front teeth).
Find out the meaning of your last name,associated with the ancient roots themselves, easiest for those whose ancestors lived in the Veliky Novgorod region. Chronicles dating back to approximately the 13th century indicate that it was there that the very first generic nicknames originated. In ancient archives there are references to Novgorodians who died in the Battle of the Neva.
They appeared among princes and boyars in the 14th century. The loudest and most famous of them were worn by representatives of influential and ruling dynasties: Shuisky, Nevsky, Donskoy. A little later, the nobles also acquired words borrowed from foreign languages: Fonvizin, Yusupov, Karamzin.
However, ordinary, not famous and not noble people remained with nicknames. Even the reforms of Peter the Great could not restore order to peasant families. So, it was he who introduced the word, it comes from the Latin familia - family, into everyday use. Conducted censuses of the population, including the peasant population - the so-called “audits”. Of course, it would be much more convenient for the emperor if each clan had a permanent name passed on by inheritance, but that was still a long way off. The absence of a permanent surname indicated a person’s low origins and the stigma remained among the general population throughout almost the entire existence of the Russian Empire.
Remember the works of Russian classics. There are never any indications or information about the surname of the serfs. Let’s take Gogol’s “Dead Souls” as an example. There, peasants were listed by nicknames.
Naturally, the names for the families were not taken from anywhere. They were assigned according to certain characteristics. If now we don’t think about the roots and meaning, then before the generic nickname made sense. Sohow to find and find out the history of the origin of your last name - freea way to find out interesting details of the life of your ancestors, we suggest you study the most common options in Rus', which are still found in modified, and sometimes even in their original form:
- By analogy with animals: Lisitsyn, Medvedev, Khomyakov, Volkov, Kobylkin.
- By occupation: Stolyarov, Kuznetsov, Rybakov, Streltsov.
- By place of residence or geographical names: Belozersky, Kareltsev, Sibiryak, Vyazemsky, Donskoy, Bryantsev.
- By the names of ancestors: Fedotov, Ivanov, Fedorov.
- By the name of the religious holidays during which the child was born: Preobrazhensky, Assumption, Blagoveshchensky.
- For household items that a person used in his work: Shilov, Spitsyn, Molotov.
- By external characteristics: Ryzhov, Krivtsov, Krivoshein, Sleptsov, Nosov, Belousov, Sedov.
- By home nicknames: Malyshev - baby, Menshikov - the youngest child in the house.
- By nationality: Tatarinov, Ordyntsev (from the word “horde”), Nemchinov.
As you can see, having determined the origin of your surname, you can find out about the profession of your ancestors, what they did, who they were or where they were born. If you are the Tolmachevs, then there were once interpreters and translators in your family. Muromov’s distant ancestors could have been born or lived in the city of Murom, while the Pobezhimovs’ ancestors probably arranged an escape. This data may be useful to you in compiling your family's pedigree.
A very interesting phenomenon are the so-called seminarian surnames. They arose much later, in the 17th century among representatives of the clergy. People also called them “priestly”, since they were worn mainly by clergy. They were created artificially, the priests explained this by saying that they wanted to be closer to the people. They were specially made to be harmonious and beautiful, which emphasized the special status of the wearer. They are formed mainly with the help of the suffixes skiy/-tskiy. Here are some of them:
- Aquilev
- Blagonadezhin
- Vetrinsky
- Bethlehem
- Damascene
- Demosthenes
- Euclidean
- Zlatoumov
- Kristallevsky
Their origin is based mainly on Latin words. Also found are the names of birds, animals and plants, the names of philosophers, clergy and saints. Often they are also transliterations of Russian names from Latin. Such surnames sound somewhat unnatural for our language and it is almost impossible to meet them today. However, if instead of the usual Russian language suffixes ov/-ev, in/-yn you have skiy/-tskiy, then most likely your ancestors belonged to the clergy.
Where to find out family history: determine the profession of ancestors by last name
When compiling a family tree, it is very important to know what your distant relatives did many centuries ago. Perhaps they did something very important for the state: they were war heroes, saved people, and were engaged in art. This can be an impetus for your future career and determining your life path. Being inspired by the actions of your ancestors makes it much easier to find and understand your purpose. How to do it? Access to ancient archives, historical documents and chronicles is not available to everyone. On the Internet, opportunities are also limited, since resources that offer to find out the history of a family by name for free online do not have a complete list of necessary information. In addition, it is not always reliable and there is no way to verify the data.
It is best for you to handle the task yourself. Listen to your last name, break it down into its component parts (prefix, root, suffix) and think about what word or phrase it came from. Here are the surnames that representatives of different professions and classes in Rus' bore:
Merchants
Merchants have always been a privileged class and enjoyed honor and respect. Therefore, much earlier than ordinary people, they were awarded the right to bear surnames. Initially, this opportunity was provided only to influential and noble merchants of the highest guilds. The most famous of them:
- Bakhrushins
- Mamontovs
- Shchukins
- Ryabushinsky
- Demidovs
- Tretyakovs
- Eliseevs
- Soltadenkovs
Nobles
The etymology of this word means that this is a certain person located at the princely or royal court. Members of the class passed on their status by inheritance from generation to generation, and with it the surname of their ancestors.
- Ancient nobility that received the title in the period before the second half of the 17th century: Scriabins, Eropkins.
- Nobles with the title of count, baron, prince, listed in genealogical books: Urusovs, Alabyshevs.
- Foreign nobility: surnames contain foreign language elements “de”, “von”, “von dem”.
Clergy
For clergy, surnames were most often used to designate the parish in which the priest worked: Uspensky, Voznesensky, Rozhdestvensky. Those who graduated from the seminary were assigned fictitious ones. The euphony depended on how diligent the student was. For example, someone who demonstrated outstanding academic success was given the surname Diamonds.
Service people
Those in government service also enjoyed special status and privileges from the sovereign. This is especially influenced by the fact that the rank of nobility could be obtained in the service. The appearance of such surnames dates back to the XVII - XVIII. They usually reflected the location of the employee or the territory of important battles and battles. These include:
- Kazantsev
- Bryantsev
- Moskovkin
- Kareltsev
Peasants
This class officially received surnames only after the revolution and the overthrow of the monarchy in the Russian Empire, although many rulers of the state made attempts to restore order with their nicknames. The surnames of serfs emphasized their low social status, most often associated with crafts and physical labor, as well as household equipment that was used for this:
- Melnikov
- Khomutov
- Sokhin
- Bochkarev
- Goncharov
- Brewers
- Cab drivers
- Karetin
- Basement
- Nebogatikov
- Bosyakov
If you find your last name on this list, it will be easier for you to understand what type of activity your ancestors had. This means that you have found the answer to one of the mysteries of your ancestry.
How to find and determine the origin of your surname yourself
If you are interested in in-depth independent searches and are committed to serious investigation, then you can make significant progress in the study of your ancestry. Here are tips to help you with this:
Find out more about genealogy
Very often, reading books and studying resources on this topic becomes a source of inspiration for your own research. Devote a few days to this, and then your work will become more orderly and conscious.
Purchase the necessary materials
It's difficult to keep all the information in your head. To make it more convenient for you to draw diagrams and record data, stock up on notepads and folders. You can even make a large table on a piece of Whatman paper indicating all the names of your close and distant relatives.
Dig through family archives
You probably have old documents at home: passports, birth certificates, certificates, extracts.
Get your relatives involved
Ask your parents, grandparents, what surnames were in your family. For women, it is especially important to find out their maiden names, which they had before marriage.
Getting to know the history of your family is a great opportunity to get together and feel the unity of family members.
It is believed that surnames with the suffixes “-ov” or “-ev” are mainly of family origin. At first they came from patronymics. For example, Peter, the son of Ivan, was called Peter Ivanov. After surnames came into official use (and this happened in Rus' in the 13th century), surnames began to be given by the name of the eldest in the family. That is, Ivan’s son, grandson, and great-grandson already became Ivanovs.
But surnames were also given by nicknames. So, if a person, for example, was nicknamed Bezborodov, then his descendants received the surname Bezborodov.
They often gave surnames based on their occupation. The son of a blacksmith bore the surname Kuznetsov, the son of a carpenter - Plotnikov, the son of a potter - Goncharov, the son of a priest - Popov. Their children also received the same surname.
Surnames with the suffix “-in”, or, less commonly, “-yn” could also come from the names and nicknames of ancestors, from the names of their professions, and in addition, from words ending in “-a”, “-ya” and from feminine nouns ending in a soft consonant. For example, the surname Minin meant: “son of Mina.” The Orthodox name Mina was widespread in Rus'. And in our time, the surnames Ilyin, Fomin, Nikitin are common. The surname Rogozhin reminds us that this man’s ancestors sold matting or made it.
Where did the surnames derived from the names of animals come from - Volkov, Medvedev, Kozlov, Zaitsev, Orlov? Genealogists believe that many “animal” surnames could come from secular names that were given to children in the pre-Christian era. By giving the child the name of this or that animal, parents hoped that this would give him the traits inherent in this animal. So, the name Bear was supposed to bestow strength, Wolf - courage, Fox - cunning, Boar - power and stubbornness, Goat - fertility, Crow - wisdom, Swan - beauty and fidelity, Nightingale - the ability to sing well. Subsequently, from these names came the Medvedevs, Volkovs, Lisitsyns, Kabanovs, Kozlovs, Voronins, Lebedevs, Solovyovs.
The origin of “animal” surnames could also be connected with a person’s occupation. Thus, a fan of chasing pigeons was called Golub, and his descendants were subsequently given the surname Golubev.
Many people are interested in the question of how to find out their family and family history for free. In fact, there is nothing complicated about this, since there are various services, mainly open databases. The information contained in them is enough to “find” your distant relatives and find out when they lived and what they did.
You can find information about your ancestors on the Internet.
The origin of the surname can also be found using the Internet. The most important thing is to have clear instructions to guide you during your search. It is necessary to take into account that many sites contain simply unreliable information, so not every source can be trusted.
Also, when searching independently You might run into scammers. A user who is interested in the history of his surname and the origin of his ancestors may be asked for a phone number, to which an “activation code” will subsequently be sent. This is a basic scheme that helps withdraw money from the accounts of gullible people.
Fraudsters are capable of creating duplicate sites (i.e., one-page copies of real-life resources). Some browsers have built-in protection that deliberately warns the user if they try to access an unsafe site.
How to find out your family tree: simple ways
Certainly, the easiest option is to ask older and distant relatives, If there are any. As a rule, every family has its own secrets or simply understatements.
Another option is to delve into documents, old photographs, which are usually stored in the attic or on a dresser. Almost every home has dusty drawers containing various things that were “hundred” years old. The documents and photographs may contain the names of distant relatives, which will greatly facilitate further searches.
Such photographs are often a treasure trove of valuable information. If you have the opportunity to access family archives, feel free to use it.
Data received from family members should be recorded in a notebook or notebook. Any information will be useful - dates of birth, number of children, full names, job titles. Subsequently, it will be possible to conduct a small investigation using not only electronic but also paper archives.
Of course, this is all quite tedious. But sometimes, knowing only the profession and name of a person, you can establish his identity. It’s elementary - go to an enterprise where a relative was listed as an employee and pull up old archives.
Finding the Roots of the Family Tree
A free way to find out your family tree via the Internet
Digital archives often provide comprehensive information, but you need to know how to use them. As a rule, effective websites are created by individual organizations (for example - family tree center). They are absolutely safe and reliable.
The first site that will be considered: http://rosgenea.ru/ - TsGI. The resource was created for those who want to find their relatives. It has several significant advantages:
In this case, the surname “Volkov” was entered, but the filter was “inaccurate”, so the result was a whole list of the same root and similar surnames.
It was said earlier that absolutely any information about a relative will be useful. And this is true, since it is the small details of the biography that help well in the search.
Instructions for the site
First you need to enter your last name in the search bar. As previously shown on the screen, if the filter is “inaccurate”, the service provides a lot of options. And here you need to remember or try to establish the surname of a relative, since otherwise the search will take a lot of time.
So now on a specific example We will look at how to use the site and what tricks you can use:
Press the combination on the keyboard CTRL + V, after which a new window appears. With his help we will look for the right person. Simply enter additional information.
In this case, we entered “Perm” as a place of residence, and already received the result on page 1 - Full name and address of the person who is someone's relative.
Unfortunately, the site itself does not provide the ability to enter additional information (besides the last name) in the search bar in order to immediately get the desired results. Therefore, you will have to examine all the pages.
It’s very strange, but few people know about this method, so the portal is considered relatively useless - after all, finding the right person takes too much time. This instruction shows how to reduce this time several times. In this case, enter after the combinationCTRL + Vyou can do anything: address, year of birth, name, and even everything combined.
If you are looking for several people at once, it is better to draw a family tree in advance. This "school trick" actually works great because it helps keep the genealogical "threads" clearly traced.
Make your own family tree!
There are several ways to create a family tree. This video describes the most effective methods.
Family history
It is at least interesting to know the history of your own surname. But, alas, this information is provided mainly by controversial sources. The biggest problem is that literally on every corner of the user scammers are waiting. Since the format “send us your last name via SMS and we will tell its story” very popular among small Internet pests.
The history of a surname, or rather its meaning, can be calculated independently using logic. The main meaning lies in the prefix. For example: Volkov - Wolf, belongs to the group of so-called “animal” surnames. The same can be said about Medvedev. Sometimes you need to choose words that are consonant with the surname, since this also has a special meaning.
It is the history of the surname that is not only the totality of the meaning invested in it, but also the origin, and the presence of great ancestors - commanders, rulers, heroes. Often people attach some significance to the characteristics of the surname and look for parallels with their own character.
