Russian Last Names

The Russian last names or surnames were earlier known as 'nicknames'. During the census of 1897, last names in Russia were taken in account and given due consideration. It would be interesting to know how these last names were assigned to people. In most cases, the father's name was modified to make it into a surname. For example, if the father's name was Peter, the surname assigned to that family would be 'Petrov'. This fact can be understood in a better manner if we take a look at some of the popular Russian surnames: Vasiliev, Ivanov, Fedoseev, Titov, Nikitin, Sidorov, Fedorov, Egorov, Alekseev, etc. In Russia, name of a person is generally formed of three components: the 'given name', a 'patronymic' and 'last name'. These components have to be arranged in a sequence. The component of the name that is derived from father's name is known as patronymic. The patronymic may have its origin in the name of one's grandfather or even the earlier ancestors.

Last Names in Russia

In Russia, the last names are inherited from parents. Women have the last names/surnames that are inherited either from parents or husbands. Russian surnames can also be formed by combining two separate names. For example, the names, Ms. Zetseva and Mr. Smirnov is combined to form the last name, Smirnov-Zetseva. To identify the Russian last names for girls, one should see whether the suffix, 'a', 'aya' or 'ina' is attached to them. Apart from this fact, there isn't much difference between the girls' names and Russian last names for boys.

Most Russian last names are in the form of possessive adjectives. Surnames in the form of attributive adjectives and nouns are less in number. Most of the last names that end with an '-enko' have originated in Ukraine. The Russian last names take different forms on the basis of gender. The following example would explain it in a better manner. The last name of Mr. Boris Yel'tsin's wife is written as Yel'tsina. It is sometimes difficult to translate the female last names from Russian to English language. Thus, last names of females in most cases get translated into the same form (Russian). The number of last names originating from personal names are considerably high in Russia. Examples of such name formations are as follows: the names Sergeyev can be translated as Sergey's son. Likewise, Vasilyev means Vasil's son. Some of the Russian last names originate from names of birds and animals. For example, the name Korovin means Cow's son, while Lebedev can be translated as Swan's son.

Averbukh	Astyafyeva	Astapkovich	Aznabaev
Asimov	Artamova	Arsov	Apraxin
Aparina	Antyuhin	Antsyforov	Antipova
Anissina	Andropov	Anchova	Alyabyev
Alliluyeva	Bzowski	Bytchkov	Bykovsky
Byko	Bychovskaya	Butyrskaya	Butkovsky
Buteyko	Bushmanov	Burlachenko	Bure
Bulygina	Czartoryska	Chzov	Chuikov
Chugainov	Chuchnova	Chubais	Chtgheglovski
Chorkina	Chmil	Chistyakova	Chistiakov
Chikachev	Dzhamgerchinov	Dyalov	Dyakov
Dyachenko	Dunayevskaya	Duchovny	Dubrovskiy
Dubnikov	Dubkova	Drygin	Drevnerussky
Dratshev	Erin	Erikeev	Eltsov
Ekomov	Ekk	Eghove	Fortunatov
Fokine	Flerko	Filischkin	Filipov
Fibingerova	Feofanova	Fedyushhyna	Fedotova
Faustin	Guznishcheva	Gutionov	Gusyeva
Gusev	Guseinov	Guseinev	Gurov
Gurina	Gurevich	Gurdjieff	Gulyayeva
Hvorostovsky	Harkov	Ivelitsch	Ivanski
Ivakina	Itsov	Isyanov	Ipatiev
Instinsky	Ilyukhin	Iltchenko	Illich-Svitych
Jiganov	Jidkova	Jeloudov	Jelavich
Jakov	Kuznetsova	Kuzmenko	Kuzenkova
Kutzow	Kutuzov	Kutaisov	Kusovlfa
Kursinska	Kurennoy	Kuptchenko	Kupetsky
Kupchenko	Kulikovskaya	Lyapunov	Lyakhova
Lyakhov	Lvov	Luzhkov	Lutrova
Lupandin	Lukyanov	Lounaeva	Loginov
Mushailov	Murin	Mullova	Mravinsky
Mozarov	Moujoukine	Motova	Motorina
Motkova	Mostovoi	Moskvina	Moskalets
Morozova	Morozov	Novosi	Novokov
Novokoff	Novakovsky	Nosova	Nosov
Nizovtseva	Nizienko	Nikulina	Nikonov
Nikolin	Nikolaevsky	Ovsiannikov	Ovinko
Ovchinnikov	Ovcharova	Ovcharenko	Otkupshchikov
Ostrovsky	Ostrogorsky	Ostaltsov	Ortoff
Putyatin	Putin	Purishkevitch	Pudovkin
Puchkina	Pshenichny	Protopopov	Pronin
Proniakin	Prokourorov	Prokouriakof	Rzaev
Ryzhkov	Ryumin	Ryndenko	Rybkin
Rybin	Ryashkina	Ryaov	Ryabov
Rusayev	Rumiantseva	Rumiantsev	Sytsov
Sviridov	Svetlanov	Svatkowski	Svartsevich
Superanskaia	Sudnik	Sudakov	Strogolev
Strizhakov	Stolypin	Stoljarov	Stolin
Tyurin	Tyukhay	Tverskaya	Tverdokhleb
Turov	Turabiev	Tupolev	Tupikov
Tumanova	Tukhbatulin	Tsymbaler	Tsyganova
Uvarova	Uritski	Ulyanov	Ukhtomsky
Uijanov	Udovin	Udalov	Vyshinsky
Vyrubova	Vydrina	Vostrikova	Vorotaev
Voroshilov	Voropaev	Voronova	Voronov
Vorobyov	Volsky	Volosheninov	Wowk
Woloshyn	Witte	Winogradski	Wakina
Yusupov	Yuran	Yumashev	Yudina
Yiyakova	Yevteushenko	Yevdokimov	Yemelyanev
Yeltsin	Yegupov	Yefrimov	Yavlinsky
Yatskaya	Zuibimov	Zubov	Zotkin
Zolkin	Zjukovski	Zinoviev	Zinovieff
Zimyatov	Zhuvova	Zhukov	Zhivanevskaya

Russian Last Names and Meanings

Understanding the meaning behind a name helps us get to its origins. This process also helps us find some interesting facts about the meaning associated with names. Below are meanings of commonly used Russian last names. Read more on the topic of common last names.

Last Names	Meanings
Morozov	Frost's
Solovyov	Nightingale's
Volkov	Wolf's
Novikov	Novik's
Kozlov	He-goat's
Lebedev	Swan's
Sokolov	Falcon's
Popov	Priest's
Kuznetsov	Smith's
Ivanov	John's
Smirnov	Quiet Man's
Vorobyov	Sparrow's
Bogdanov	Bogdan's - The word bogdan means a slavic man.
Vinogradov	Grape's
Golubev	Pigeon's
Semyonov	Simeon's
Pavlov	Paul's
Zaytsev	Hare's
Vasilyev's	Basil's
Krupin	It is derived from a West Slavic word, krupa and which means barley.
Orlov	The 'son of Oryol' is known as Orlov. The word Oryol means eagle.
Zolnerowich	It means the son of a soldier.
Romanov	The name Romanov means son of a Roman.
Pajari	It means 'boyar' or Russian noble.
Konstantinov	It is the name used in reference with descendant of Konstantin.
Utkin	This Russian name originates from the word, utka i.e. duck.
Polzin	This name is used in reference with a profit-making merchant.

Russians like to create short versions of their names and are known to use them with affection. For example, the name 'Katerina' becomes 'Katya'. Such names are informally used to address the family members and friends. Nicknames/shorter names can also be modified a bit by adding letters such as -en'k before the last letters. The name Katya thus, changes into Katen'ka.

The details about last names in Russia give us a rough idea of the fundamentals of Russian language and culture. The process of evolution of last names in Russia is not very different from that in other parts of the world. The practice of assigning last names on the basis of father's or husband's name too is found in different parts of the world. The article should therefore, provide you with some useful facts and details related to last names.