How do I find out where my last name came from. Making a film about the history of the origin of your family name

Details Created: 10/29/2015 10:10

Very often, phenomena and objects are named after the name of the person who made or discovered them. Over time, we forget about the origin of a word. We have made a selection of the most interesting and unexpected words that are actually surnames.

Hooligan- this is the surname of an Irish family, very different violent temper. Leading the charge was young Partick the Hooligan, whose name kept popping up in police reports and newspaper chronicles.

Chauvinism comes from the name of the Napoleonic soldier Nicolas Chauvin, who especially zealously served Napoleon and France and had a habit of expressing his patriotism and the exclusivity of his country in pathos of the common people. Remarkably, the surname comes from the word "bald" (calvinus).

Saxophone. Adolf Sax presented his invention as the "mouthpiece ophicleid". This instrument was called the saxophone by the composer Hector Berlioz, a friend of the inventor, in an article devoted to the invention, and the word immediately became popular.

Sandwich. John Montagu IV Earl of Sandwich was preparing James Cook's round-the-world expedition, and since he had no time to be distracted by food, he came up with a simple and convenient sandwich.

Boycott. British Charles Boycott worked as a manager for a landowner in Ireland. Once the workers went on strike and began to ignore the Englishman. And thanks to the British press covering these events, the name Boycott became a household name.

Jacuzzi. The Italian Candido Yakutstsi (Jacuzzi) invented the hot tub (hot tub is the wrong "American" pronunciation of this Italian surname, which, however, is firmly rooted in many languages ​​of the world).

Olivie. Chef Lucien Olivier is known as the creator of the recipe for the famous salad, which remained a secret that Olivier never divulged until his death.

Beef stroganoff. French chef Count Alexander Grigoryevich Stroganov invented this dish. In French, it sounds like bœuf Stroganoff, that is, "Stroganoff beef."

Loafer. The German doctor Christian Ivanovich Loder opened the Institute of artificial mineral waters, in which patients were advised to walk fast for three hours. Ordinary people, looking at this fuss, came up with the expression "to drive a loafer."

Charlatan. The word charlatan, according to legend, comes from the name of the French doctor Charles Latin. He carried out meaningless operations, promising a full recovery, and, having received the money, went into hiding. And the unfortunate patients only got worse.

Nonsense. The French physician Galli Mathieu believed in healing power laughter. He treated patients with laughter, for which he made them laugh with anecdotes and various nonsense.

Libel. In Rome there lived a sharp-tongued citizen named Pasquino. The people loved him very much. Once, a statue was erected near Pasquino's house, which was popularly named after him. At night, the Romans began to paste over the statue with leaflets in which they spoke caustically about their rulers.

Bluetooth(blue tooth - literally "blue tooth"). The developers named this technology after the Viking King Harald Blåtand, who united Denmark and Norway.

July and August. July is named after Julius Caesar. August - in honor of the Roman emperor Octavian Augustus.

Maecenas. First of famous history the name of the patrons was Gaius Cylnius Maecenas.

Silhouette. Etienne de Silhouette was the controller of finances in France, but after failed attempt reform was forced to leave his post. Then he invented new method entertainment - trace the shadow of a person on the wall. This idea was so liked by his guests that the fame of the Silhouette spread throughout Europe.

Attic. The architect Francois Mansart was the first to use the under-roof attic space for residential and commercial purposes. Since then, the attic floor under a pitched steep roof has been called the attic.

Cardigan. General James Thomas Bradnell, 7th Chief of the County of Cardigan, invented this garberoba item.

The word "surname" is 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 population of the country 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 assigning surnames to the 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. We could only count on the ending familiar to us -ich noble people. Such nominal surnames usually testify that among the ancestors of a person there was also one who bore the name indicated in the surname.

VISHNITSKY - VISHNIK - CHERRY GARDEN

I was a reader and subscriber of the journal "Science and Life" back in Soviet times. Now I have the opportunity to read the electronic version of my favorite magazine, which I do with pleasure. And now the question. Where did my last name come from? I've read a lot, but I haven't seen anything about her anywhere. Is it related to the surname Vishnevsky?

V. Vishnitsky (Sumy, Ukraine).

Surname Vishnitsky derived from Ukrainian word vishnik - The Cherry Orchard . Nickname Vishnik could get a person whose garden was especially large and good. The descendants of such a person are called Vishnitsky. When word formation consonants To And c alternate.

Surname Vishnevsky derived from a geographical name. There are many places in Ukraine, from the names of which this surname could have come out: Vishnev, Cherry , Cherry , Vishnevka , Vyshnevets , Vishnevo, Cherry .

PRILUTSKY - FROM THE VILLAGE OF PRILUKY

I have long wanted to ask you to explain the meaning and origin of our surname. Ancestors lived in the city of Rivne, which is located in the north-west of Ukraine. Perhaps the surname comes from the name of the city of Lutsk, adjacent to the Rivne region? Often our surname is mistakenly written with an "and": Prilutsky.

I also ask Dr. philological sciences Superanskaya to explain the origin of the names of our relatives: Dubina, Savochenko (the surname Savchenko is more common) and Temchenko.

Regular subscriber and problem solver of the sections "Mathematical Leisure" and "Psychological Practice" I. Prelutsky (St. Petersburg).

Surnames on -sky/-sky most often formed from geographical names. In Brest, Grodno, Minsk, Chernihiv, as well as Arkhangelsk, Vologda and a number of other regions settlements with the title Pryluky where the surname comes from Prilutsky. There is a village in the Novgorod region Pereluchi, in Pskov - pereluchye. From these names, the surname would be Perelutsky . Similar titles - Priluka, Pryluky(in Polish pronunciation Pshiluka, Pshiluki) is found in Poland. The surname is also derived from them. Prilutsky(in Polish pronunciation Pshilutsky). But along with this, the Poles fix the spelling variant Prelutsky. Perhaps somewhere there was such a "literate" clerk who believed that one should write through e, not through And.

Surname cudgel with emphasis on And repeats the old Russian nickname without any changes. Compare common surname Dubinin derived from nickname cudgel.

Surname Savochenko comes from one of the Ukrainian colloquial forms church name Sava (Savva) - Savochko. Ukrainian dictionary notes the emphasis Savo "chenko.

Surname Temchenko formed from one of the colloquial variants of the church name Timothy. The Ukrainian dictionary notes a rare form of this name Temokhfey, whence the abbreviated forms Subject, Temka and last name Temchenko.

Forms with e instead of And also noted among the Poles. Short form Temo entered the documents in 1242, the surname was later attested Temkovich, confirming the presence of an option Temko, from which the surname could also be formed Temchenko during the resettlement of the so-called person to Ukraine.

UTYUMOV - ON BEHALF OF USTIN

In the magazine I really like the column "Origin of names and surnames". Therefore, I decided to turn to Mrs. Superanskaya: I would like to know about the origin of the surnames Shanchurov (there is also the surname Shanshurov in our city) and Utyumov (we have a whole village with such a surname).

L. Utyumova (Revda, Sverdlovsk region).

Surnames Shanchurov , Shanshurov surnames are not found in any dictionary. There are similar surnames - Shamshurov. They are associated with the verb to shamble- to whisper shamble- mumble, slur, speak with a word shamshura- burry. But I don't think any explanation fits your last name.

According to my information, the surnames you are interested in are formed from folk colloquial forms of personal names: Shanchurov And Shanshurov- on behalf of Alexander through options Sanya - Sancha - Sanchur - Shanchur - Shanshur. Utyumov- on behalf of Ustin through options Ustim - Ustyum - Utyum.

DEMESHKO - ON BEHALF OF DEMENTY

I am a regular reader of your magazine. From each issue I learn something new, useful, interesting. I wish to continue to see the magazine the same. I also appeal to the doctor of philological sciences A. Superanskaya with a request to tell about the origin of the surname Demeshko. We have half a village with such a surname, but we are not relatives. We live in the Pskov region, Pustoshkinsky district, not far from the border with Belarus and Latvia. I read in Rodina magazine that some Mieszko I baptized Poland into Catholics. Meshko is a given name, a surname? And nowhere else did I see the name Demeshko in books. Once I met a man with the surname Lemeshko.

L. Demeshko (village Sipkino, Pskov region).

Surname Demeshko formed from Orthodox name Dementy(church form Dometius), shortened form - Demes, Demesha. Demeshko - diminutive form this name. She means that Demeshko- the son of a man named Dementy (Demes). Having become surnames, such names did not need to be decorated with special family suffixes.

The same goes for last name. Lemeshko- on behalf of Klementy(modern Russian church form Clement) via option Klemesh - Lemesh - Lemeshko - Mieszko. The latter form can also be a diminutive of Bartholomew- through Varfolomeshko- Meshko, from Eumenius- through Evmeshko or from Michael- through Mishko - Mieszko.

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 big role the surname plays, which is comparable to the given 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 are the characteristics of your family;
• 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 residents 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:

1. 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 began to communicate closely. neighboring countries. 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.
2. After some time, the French residents also picked up a new trend, a number of special institutions were created that specialized in compiling a pedigree. In those days, this service was provided only by wealthy noble families.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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 starting point that 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 a 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:

1. 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 family ending-ich or -ov. For example, Petrovich, Popov.
2. During the 14-15-year period, numerous boyar and noble families . It was during this time period that noble family names appeared: Shuisky, Gorbatov, Travin, Trusov, Kobylin.
3. At the same time, surnames appear, derived from nicknames, which are characterized negative traits appearance or character. For example, Oblique, Krivosheev and others.
4. Peasant surnames begin their education from generic nicknames. For example, Lyubimov, Zhdanov.
5. 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.
6. 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 all those living on 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 located beyond Ural mountains. 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 euphonious surnames with a positive connotation. They were called Brilliant, Dobromyslov, Speran, Dobrolyubov. If a student received bad grades, then he received 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 will it be accumulated a large number of information, you can state everything 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 a 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Search for information in archives.
5. Analysis of the information received with the preparation of estimates.
6. 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. 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 storehouse 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 full cost provided services. 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!

For a long time, generic nicknames and names have been used to emphasize a person's belonging to his family. Previously, it could mean professional activity, character traits appearance or personality of its owner. That's whyfind out the history of the origin of the surnamefor researchers means to discover many interesting and important information its bearers. 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 before nicknames were used for practical purposes and could be forgotten over time or changed due to circumstances, then the surname in modern understanding has a completely different meaning. It is directly related to the genealogy, the history of the family and the continuity of generations. Unfortunately, we often take it for granted. We have been wearing it since childhood, without thinking about what secrets of the family are hidden in it. It is rarely considered as a reason for pride, since now everyone receives it from birth. But before it was the privilege of only noble persons and noble families. It was a kind of reflection of the superiority of the nobility and the unity of family members.

Pay tribute to your ancestors, honor their memory, strengthen kinship and family bonds possible even today. It just takes 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 of detailed description the supposed place, cause and approximate time of origin, up to the indication of the century. You can use them, or turn to specialists who will help you calculate your roots, tell you why the genus was named that way, and even make a family tree.

If you have enough patience and enthusiasm, try to find out the meaning of your last name yourself. How to do this, you will learn from our article, where we have collected a variety of helpful tips about this theme.

How to find out the origin of your last name: freeexcursion into history

To begin with, let's remember how the nicknames of our ancestors were formed in Ancient Rus'. We call them by 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, changed over time. As for the forced peasants, in general, the change of their generic name could change at the whim of the master. The owners especially liked to have fun, coming up with offensive and offensive nicknames. For example, nee Ignatov (after the name of the ancestor), became Shcherbakov (by external sign - the absence of front teeth).

Find out the meaning of your last nameconnected with the ancient roots themselves, the easiest way is for those whose ancestors lived in the region of Veliky Novgorod. Chronicles dating back to about the 13th century indicate that it was there that the very first generic nicknames originated. In the 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 appeared borrowed from foreign languages: Fonvizin, Yusupov, Karamzin.

However, ordinary, not eminent and not noble people remained with nicknames. Even the reforms of Peter the Great could not put things in order with the peasant families. So, it was he who introduced the word, it comes from the Latin familia - family, into use. Conducted censuses of the population, including the peasant population - the so-called "revisions". Of course, it would be much more convenient for the emperor if each clan had a permanent name, passed down by inheritance, but this was still a long way off. The absence of a permanent surname indicated the low origin of a person and remained a stigma among the general population for almost the entire existence Russian Empire.

Remember the works of Russian classics. There are never indications and information about the names of serfs. Take for example " Dead Souls» Gogol. There the peasants were listed by nicknames.

Naturally, the names for the families were not taken from nowhere. They were assigned according to certain characteristics. If now we do not think about the roots and meaning, then earlier the generic nickname made sense. Sohow to find and learn the history of the origin of your last name - freeway to find out interesting details the lives of your ancestors, we invite you to study the most common options in Rus', which are still found in a 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 the ancestors: Fedotov, Ivanov, Fedorov.
• By the name of the religious holidays during which the child was born: Preobrazhensky, Assumption, Annunciation.
• According to household items that a person used in his work: Shilov, Spitsyn, Molotov.
• By outward signs: Ryzhov, Krivtsov, Krivoshein, Sleptsov, Nosov, Belousov, Sedov.
• By home nicknames: Malyshev - baby, Menshikov - 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 translators in your family. The distant ancestors of Muromov could have been born or lived in the city of Murom, and the Pobezhimovs probably had an escape. These data may be useful to you in compiling your family's pedigree.

Very interesting phenomenon are the so-called seminary families. They arose much later, in the 17th century among the representatives of the clergy. among the people they were also called "priests", as they were worn mainly by clergymen. They were created artificially, the priests explained this by the fact that they want to be closer to the people. They were specially made harmonious, beautiful, which emphasized the special status of the wearer. They are formed mainly with the help of suffixes sky / -sky. Here are some of them:

• Akvilev
• Blagonadezhin
• Vetrinsky
• Bethlehem
• Damascus
• Demosthenov
• Euclidean
• Zlatoumov
• Kristallevsky

Their origin is mainly latin words. Also there are names of birds, animals and plants, names of philosophers, priests 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 suffixes ov/-ev, in/-yn you have sky/-tsky, then most likely your ancestors belonged to the clergy.

Where to find out the history of the family: we 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, they saved people, they were engaged in art. This can be an impetus in a future career and definition life path for yourself. Inspired by the deeds of the ancestors, it is much easier to find and understand your destiny. How to do it? Access to old archives, historical documents and chronicles is not accessible to everyone. On the Internet, opportunities are also limited, since resources offering to find out the history of a kind by last name for free online do not have a complete list of the necessary information. In addition, it is not always reliable and there is no way to verify the data.

The best thing to do is to do it 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 names of the representatives different professions and estates in Rus':

Merchants

Merchants have always been a privileged class, 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 higher guilds. The most famous of them:

• Bakhrushins
• Mammoth
• Schukins
• Ryabushinsky
• Demidovs
• Tretyakovs
• Eliseevs
• Soltadenkovs

nobles

The etymology of this word means that this is a certain person who is at the princely or royal court. Members of the estate passed on their status by inheritance from generation to generation, and with it the surname of their ancestors.

• Ancient nobility who received the title in the period before the second half of XVII century: Scriabins, Eropkins.
• Nobles with the title of count, baron, prince, listed in genealogical books: Urusovs, Alabyshevs.
• Foreign nobility: in the surnames there are foreign elements "de", "fon", "von dem".

Clergy

For clergy, surnames were most often used denoting 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 achievement was given the surname of Diamonds.

Service people

Those who were on public service, also enjoyed a special position and privileges from the sovereign. This is especially influenced by the fact that the noble rank could be obtained in the service. The emergence of such surnames is attributed to the XVII - XVIII. They usually reflected the location of the employee or territory. important battles and battles. These include:

• Kazantsev
• Bryantsev
• Moskovkin
• Karelians

Peasants

This estate 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 the 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
• Chomutov
• Sokhin
• Bochkarev
• Goncharov
• Pivovarov
• Cabbers
• Karetin
• Basement
• Nebogatikov
• Bosyakov

If you found your last name on this list, then it will be easier for you to understand what kind of activity your ancestors had. So, you have found the answer to one of the mysteries of your family tree.

How to find and determine the origin of your last name yourself

If you are interested in in-depth independent searches and set up for a serious investigation, then you can make significant progress in the study of your ancestry. Here are some tips to help you with this:

Learn more about genealogy

Very often, reading books and studying resources on this topic becomes a source of inspiration for one's own research. Devote a few days to this, and then your work will become more orderly and conscious.

Purchase the necessary materials

It's hard to keep all the information in your head. To make it more convenient for you to draw diagrams and record data, stock up on notebooks and folders. You can even make a large table on a sheet of drawing paper indicating all the names of your close and distant relatives.

Dig up the family archives

At home, you probably have old documents stored: passports, birth certificates, certificates, extracts.

Connect relatives to work

Ask your parents, grandparents, what surnames were in your family. It is especially important for women to know them maiden names that they wore before marriage.

Acquaintance with the history of a kind - great opportunity come together and feel the unity of family members.