Ukrainian surnames in yuk. How to find out nationality by the end of a surname

The surname of ex-footballer Andrei Shevchenko has become the most common in Ukraine / photo: ukraina-vpered.com

After the Ukrainian media began to actively interest in the fate of the rector of the National University of the State Tax Service, it turned out that his surname is one of the three most common in Ukraine, reports Segodnya.

The publication writes that the most popular surnames in Ukraine are Shevchenko, Melnik and Boyko. Moreover, Melniks could populate the whole of Kerch, Shevchenko would be enough for Nikopol, and Boyko would be enough for Uzhgorod.

It is curious that the surnames popular in Russia (Smirnov, Ivanov and Kuznetsov) are not even in the top ten in Ukraine. But there are still a lot of them: the same Ivanovs number about 90 thousand.

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And the rarest surnames in our country are often difficult to pronounce. Among them: Abdugafarov, Abibulla, Alyabyeva, Bordzika, Briharya, Mkoriz, Luft, Likhogvor, Zez, Zatserklyany, Ekh, Durandina, Dudu, Dirbaba, Grob, Vier and Hegel (their representatives have less than 50 namesakes in Ukraine).

As it turned out, many representatives of the world’s most popular families live in Ukraine. For example, there are more than 100 million Chinese people with the surname Li in the world. In our country there are more than 2 thousand bearers of this surname. The second most popular surname in the world is Zhang (also about 100 million people) in Ukraine, 449 people have the surname Wang or Wang (more than 93 million people) - about 1,700 Ukrainians.

There are about 3 thousand people with the Vietnamese surname Nguyen (and there are more than 36 million of them in the world). In addition, the world's top ten includes the names Garcia, Gonzalez, Hernandez, Smith, Smirnov and Muller. Smirnovs, according to telephone databases, we have more than 45 thousand. In addition, 131 Muellers, 29 Garcias, 53 Gonzales, 19 Hernandezes and 46 Smiths live in Ukraine.

Factors of education, traditions

The origin of Ukrainian surnames is deeply rooted in the history of the Slavic peoples, so they are often consonant with Russian surnames. Despite this, the formation of Ukrainian surnames has a number of distinctive features. The main one is the role of suffixes in word formation.

Few people know that the Ukrainian surname is one of the oldest in Europe. In any case, in the 17th century almost all Ukrainians had surnames. Some of them had surnames that were given to their ancestors back in princely times. For comparison, French commoners received surnames only at the beginning of the 19th century thanks to a decree of Emperor Napoleon I. Russian peasants received surnames only after the Reform of 1861. This is one of the reasons why Russians have so many surnames: Ivanov, Petrov, Sidorov. It is known that when yesterday’s serfs were issued “freedom” they were given surnames after their father’s name. The names Ivan, Peter, Sidor at that time were the most common in Russian villages and villages. On occasion, I would like to note that the only people in Europe who still do not have permanent surnames are the Icelanders. For them, the father's name automatically becomes the child's surname. Therefore, men have surnames like Petersen (son of Peter), and women Peterdottir (daughter of Peter).

The Ukrainian surname, like the surnames of most Europeans, was formed from the name, nickname or profession of the father, very rarely from the name of the mother. Numerous Petrenki, Ivanenki, Romanenki, Luchenki, Lutsenki, Ulyanenki are clear confirmation of this. In Western Ukraine, patronymic surnames were formed using the suffix “iv”: Ivaniv, Illiv, Ivantsiv. Unfortunately, the feminine suffix (ova) did not take root in Ukraine, so a modern Ukrainian woman bears the male version of these surnames. The only exceptions are surnames with the suffixes –sky, -tsky, -ov-sky, -ev-sky, which have a feminine form.

Groups of surnames by origin

A fairly large group of Ukrainian surnames is formed using the suffix “-enko”. For example: Tymoshenko, Shevchenko, Tkachenko, Bondarenko, Kovalenko, Kirilenko, Ivanenko, Petrenko, Pavlenko, Kravchenko, Zakharenko. No less popular in the formation of Ukrainian surnames are the following suffixes: “-eiko”, “-ochko”, “-ko”, for example: Andreyko, Butko, Boreyko, Semochko, Marochko, Klitschko, Shumeiko.

The suffixes “-evskiy” and “-ovskiy” are somewhat less common. This method of word formation is clearly illustrated by the surnames: Kotovsky, Alchevsky, Grinevsky Petrovsky, Maslovsky, Mogilevsky.

It is extremely rare for Ukrainian surnames to be formed using the Old Church Slavonic suffix “-ich”: Davydovich, Germanovich, Shufrich. But the suffixes “-ik” and “-nik”, on the contrary, are found quite often. Examples are the Ukrainian surnames Petrik, Berdnik, Pasichnik, Linnik.

Let us give a few more examples of the participation of suffixes in the formation of Ukrainian surnames, for example, the surnames Bondarchuk, Kravchuk, Savchuk, Khitruk, Polishchuk, Tarasyuk, Serdyuk, which were born with the help of the suffixes “-uk”, “-yuk” and “-chuk”. It’s also worth mentioning the surnames: Shcherbak (formed using the suffix “-ak”), Durnovo (suffix “-vo”), Taranets (suffix “-ets”), the infamous surname Chikatilo (suffix “-lo”), and well the famous surname Makhno, formed with the suffix “-no”.

A significant part of Ukrainian surnames originate from given names. For example, Zakharchenko, Zakharenko (on behalf of Zakhar), Yushchak, Yushchenko (on behalf of Yushko, Yuri), Klim, Klimenko (on behalf of Kliment), Makarenko, Makarchenko (on behalf of Makar), Nikolenko, Nikolchuk (on behalf of Mikola).

The source of origin of the next group of Ukrainian surnames was popular in

Ukraine professions. For example:

Ukrainian surnames Bondar, Bondarenko, Bondarchuk - from the profession of cooper, that is. barrel manufacturer;

Ukrainian surnames Gonchar, Goncharenko, Goncharuk - from pottery;

Ukrainian surnames Koval, Kovalenko, Kovalchuk - from the blacksmith business;

Ukrainian surnames Kravets, Kravchenko, Kravchuk - from the profession of a tailor.

Ukrainian surnames derived from the names of animals deserve special attention. For example: Gogol (that is, a bird), Gorobets (more specifically, a sparrow), Komar, Komarovsky (respectively, a mosquito), Leshchinsky, Leshchenko (thanks to the bream), Khrushch, Khrushchov (meaning May beetle). The most interesting group is represented by such Ukrainian surnames as Beloshtan, Krasnoshapka, Sinebryukh, Ryabokon, Krivonos, Podoprigora, Nepiyvoda, Zabeyvorota and others, formed from two parts (noun + adjective or verb + noun).

Some Ukrainian surnames were formed by combining two parts. It could be a connective: an adjective and a noun, for example, Ukrainian surnames: Beloshtan, Krasnoshapka, Sinebryukh, Ryabokon, Krivonos. Or a combination of verb and noun was used: Podoprigora, Nepiyvoda, Zabeyvorota and others.

Thus, Ukrainian surnames have both common and distinctive features compared to the surnames of other nations. General information about the origin of surnames can be found in the surname history section for free, located on our website. The secrets of surnames will be revealed to you by the section on surnames and their meanings, dedicated to the interpretation of surnames.

Summarizing the analysis of the ways of forming Ukrainian surnames, it should be noted that original Ukrainian surnames were distorted either by the bearers themselves or by clerks. Surnames such as Minyailov, Shumilov, Pluzhnikov, Ryzhkov, formed by adding the Russian suffix “-ov” either by the speakers themselves, who moved from Little Russians to Great Russians, or by clerks.

We should touch upon the distortion of Ukrainian surnames. Such current Russian surnames as Shevchenkov, Luchenkov, Ivanenkov, Kolesnichenkov were created during the time of general passportization during the reform of 1861. They were provided to the children of Ukrainian immigrants who did not live compactly on the territory of Great Russia. In Siberia, the local population also rebaptized Ukrainians. This is how the surnames Savitsky, Romanenkov, Chernetsky were formed.

Ukrainian surnames in their origin and meaning they have much in common with Russian surnames, since both are closely connected with the history of the Slavic peoples. At the same time, Ukrainian surnames have their own characteristics, which will be discussed in this review.
Suffixes of Ukrainian surnames

One of the most common suffixes in Ukrainian surnames is the suffix “-enko” meaning “someone’s son”. Examples of such Ukrainian surnames: Shevchenko, Tkachenko, Timoshenko, Kovalenko, Bondarenko, Kirilenko, Ivanenko, Petrenko, Pavlenko, Kravchenko, Zakharenko, etc. This list of Ukrainian surnames can be quite large, since the most common suffix is used here. Also among Ukrainian surnames there are often suffixes: “-eyko”, “-ochko”, “-ko”, for example, surnames: Shumeiko, Boreyko, Semochko, Marochko, Butko, Klitschko, Andreyko. The suffixes “-ovskiy” and “-evskiy” are used a little less frequently. This is, for example, the following list of Ukrainian surnames: Kotovsky, Petrovsky, Maslovsky, Mogilevsky, Alchevsky, Grinevsky. Sometimes among Ukrainian surnames you can find the Old Church Slavonic suffix “-ich”: Davydovich, Germanovich, Shufrich. Quite often among Ukrainian surnames there are suffixes “-ik” and “-nik”. These are, for example, the Ukrainian surnames Petrik, Berdnik, Pasichnik, Linnik. The suffixes “-uk”, “-yuk”, “-chuk” in Ukrainian surnames mean “someone’s servant”, for example: Bondarchuk, Kravchuk, Savchuk, Khitruk, Polishchuk, Tarasyuk, Serdyuk, etc.

Among Ukrainian surnames there are also other suffixes, for example, “-vo” is the surname Durnovo, “-ak” is the surname Shcherbak, “-ets” is the surname Taranets, “-lo” is Chikatilo, “-no” is Makhno, etc. ., which also participate in the formation of Ukrainian surnames.
Ukrainian surnames derived from professions

Similar to the surnames of other nations, the origin of many Ukrainian surnames is associated with crafts and professions. For example:

Ukrainian surnames Bondar, Bondarenko, Bondarchuk - from the profession of cooper, i.e. barrel manufacturer;

Ukrainian surnames Gonchar, Goncharenko, Goncharuk - from pottery;

Ukrainian surnames Koval, Kovalenko, Kovalchuk - from the blacksmith business;

Ukrainian surnames Kravets, Kravchenko, Kravchuk - from the profession of a tailor.

Obviously, the meaning of all these Ukrainian surnames will correspond to the profession, the name of which became the source for the origin of the surname.
Ukrainian surnames derived from given names

Probably, most nations have a significant proportion of surnames formed from given names. Ukrainian surnames, the origin of which is connected with given names, are no exception here. Such surnames include, for example: Zakharchenko, Zakharenko (from the name Zakhar), Yushchak, Yushchenko (from the names Yushko, Yuri), Klim, Klimenko (from the name Kliment), Makarenko, Makarchenko (from the name Makar), Nikolenko, Nikolchuk (from named after Mikola), etc. Of course, the meaning of this type of Ukrainian surname is determined by the meaning of the names from which they originated.
Ukrainian surnames derived from animals

Among Ukrainian surnames, there are some surnames derived from the names of animals. These include the following Ukrainian surnames: Gogol (meaning bird), Gorobets (meaning sparrow), Komar, Komarovsky (meaning mosquito), Leshchinsky, Leshchenko (meaning bream), Khrushch, Khrushchov (meaning cockchafer), etc.
Compound Ukrainian surnames

Some Ukrainian surnames were formed by combining two parts. It could be a combination: an adjective and a noun, for example, Ukrainian surnames: Beloshtan, Krasnoshapka, Sinebryukh, Ryabokon, Krivonos, etc. Or a combination of a verb and a noun was used: Podoprygora, Nepiyvoda, Zabeyvorota and others.

In a conversation you can come across the following statement: “Here, his last name ends with -in, which means he is a Jew.” Are Susanin, Repin and even Pushkin really Jewish surnames? It’s some kind of strange idea among the people, where did it come from? After all, the suffix -in- is often found in possessive adjectives formed from first declension nouns: cat, mother. While adjectives from words of the second declension are formed using the suffix -ov-: grandfathers, crocodiles. Is it really true that only Jews chose words of the first declension as the basis for their surname? It would be very strange. But probably everything that is on people’s tongues has some basis, even if it has been distorted over time. Let's figure out how to determine nationality by last name.

Ending or suffix?

Calling the familiar -ov/-ev endings is not entirely correct. The ending in Russian is the variable part of the word. Let's see what inclines in surnames: Ivanov - Ivanova - Ivanov. It can be concluded that -ov is a suffix and is followed by a zero ending, as in most masculine nouns. And only in cases or when changing gender and number (Ivanova, Ivanovy) endings are heard. But there is also a folk, and not linguistic, concept of “ending” - what it ends with. In that case, this word is applicable here. And then we can safely determine the ending of surnames by nationality!

Russian surnames

The range of Russian surnames is much wider than those ending in -ov. They are characterized by the suffixes -in, -yn, -ov, -ev, -skoy, -tskoy, -ih, -yh (Lapin, Ptitsyn, Sokolov, Soloviev, Donskoy, Trubetskoy, Moskovskikh, Sedykh).

There are actually as many as 60-70% of Russian surnames with -ov, -ev, and only about 30% with -in, -yn, which is also quite a lot. What is the reason for this ratio? As already mentioned, the suffixes -ov, -ev are added to second declension nouns, most of which are masculine. And since in Russian surnames often originate from the name or occupation of the father (Ivanov, Bondarev), such a suffix is very logical. But there are also male names ending in -a, -ya, and it was from them that the surnames Ilyin and Nikitin arose, the Russianness of which we have no doubt.

What about Ukrainians?

Ukrainian ones are usually formed using the suffixes -enko, -ko, -uk, -yuk. And also without suffixes from words denoting professions (Korolenko, Spirko, Govoruk, Prizhnyuk, Bondar).

More about Jews

Jewish surnames are very diverse, because Jews have been scattered throughout the world for centuries. A sure sign of them can be the suffixes -ich, -man and -er. But even here confusion is possible. Family endings -ich, -ovich, -evich are characteristic of the Poles and Slavic peoples living in East Germany. For example, one of the most famous poets in Poland is Mickiewicz.

But the basis of a surname can sometimes immediately suggest the Jewish origin of its bearer. If the basis is Levi or Cohen/Cohan, the clan originates from the high priests - the Kohanim or his assistants - the Levites. So everything is clear with Levi, the Levitans, and the Kaganovichs.

What do surnames in -sky and -tsky tell you?

It is incorrect to assume that surnames ending in -sky or -tsky are necessarily Jewish. This stereotype developed because they were common in Poland and Ukraine. In these places there were many family estates; the surnames of the noble owners were formed from the name of the estate. For example, the ancestors of the famous revolutionary Dzerzhinsky owned the Dzerzhinovo estate on the territory of modern Belarus, and then Poland.

Many Jews lived in these areas, so many took local surnames. But Russian nobles also have such surnames; for example, the noble surname Dubrovsky from Pushkin’s work is quite real. There is another interesting fact. In seminaries they often gave a surname derived from church holidays - Preobrazhensky, Rozhdestvensky. In this case, determining nationality by the end of surnames can lead to errors. Seminaries also served as the birthplace of surnames with an unusual root for the Russian ear, because they were formed from the Latin words: Formozov, Kastorov. By the way, clerk Ivan Velosipedov served under Ivan the Terrible. But the bicycle had not yet been invented! How is it possible - there is no object, but there is a surname? The solution was this: it turned out to be a tracing paper from the Latin “swift-footed”, only with the original Russian suffix.

Last name starting with -in: revealing the secret!

So what about ending your last name with -in? It is difficult to determine nationality on this basis. Indeed, some Jewish surnames end like this. It turns out that in some of them this is just an external coincidence with the Russian suffix. For example, Khazin descends from the modified surname Khazan - this is the name in Hebrew for one of the types of servants in the temple. Literally this translates as “overseer,” since the hazan monitored the order of worship and the accuracy of the text. You can guess where the surname Khazanov comes from. But she has the “most Russian” suffix -ov!

But there are also matronyms, that is, those that are formed on behalf of the mother. Moreover, the female names from which they were formed were not Russian. For example, the Jewish surname Belkin is a homonym for a Russian surname. It is not derived from a furry animal, but from the female name Beila.

German or Jew?

Another interesting pattern has been noticed. As soon as we hear surnames like Rosenfeld, Morgenstern, we immediately confidently determine the nationality of its bearer. Definitely, this is a Jew! But not everything is so simple! After all, these are words of German origin. For example, Rosenfeld is a “field of roses”. How did this happen? It turns out that on the territory of the German Empire, as well as in the Russian and Austrian Empire, there was a decree on assigning surnames to Jews. Of course, they were formed in the language of the country in which the Jew lived. Since they were not passed down from distant ancestors from time immemorial, people chose them themselves. Sometimes this choice could be made by the registrar. This is how many artificial, bizarre surnames appeared that could not have arisen naturally.

How then can one distinguish a Jew from a German if both have German surnames? This is difficult to do. Therefore, here you should not be guided only by the origin of the word; you need to know the pedigree of a particular person. Here, you can’t just determine nationality by the end of your last name!

Georgian surnames

For Georgians, it is not difficult to guess the ending of their last names by nationality. If the Georgian is most likely -shvili, -dze, -uri, -ava, -a, -ua, -ia, -ni, -li, -si (Basilashvili, Svanidze, Pirtskhalava, Adamia, Gelovani, Tsereteli). There are also Georgian surnames that end in -tskaya. This is consonant with Russian (Trubetskaya), but this is not a suffix, and they not only do not change by gender (Diana Gurtskaya - Robert Gurtskaya), but also do not decline by case (with Diana Gurtskaya).

Ossetian surnames

Ossetian surnames are characterized by the ending -ty/-ti (Kokoyty). The ending of the surname in -ev (Abaev, Eziev) is also typical for this nationality; it is usually preceded by a vowel. Often the basis of a word is not clear to us. But sometimes it can turn out to be homonymous or almost homonymous with a Russian word, which is confusing. Among them there are also those that end in -ov: Botov, Bekurov. In fact, these are real Russian suffixes, and they are attached to the Ossetian root according to the tradition of conveying surnames in writing. These are the fruits of the Russification of Ossetian surnames. At the same time, it is stupid to think that all surnames ending in -ev are Ossetian. The ending of a surname with -ev does not determine nationality. Surnames such as Grigoriev, Polev, Gostev are Russian and they differ from similar ones ending in -ov only in that the last consonant in the noun was soft.

A few words about Armenians

Armenian surnames often end in -yan or -yants (Hakopyan, Grigoryants). Actually, -yan is a truncated -yants, which meant belonging to a clan.

Now you know how to find out your nationality by the end of your last name. Yes, it is not always easy to do this with guaranteed accuracy, even with a developed linguistic sense. But as they say, the main thing is that the person is good!

Ukrainian names are very common, not to mention surnames. When Kievan Rus converted to Christianity, beautiful words began to emerge, which later became Ukrainian. The Christian church calendar states that it is the basis of all data. So what is the magic of the Ukrainian language?

Ukrainian names and surnames

The origin of Ukrainian surnames is a long story that goes back several centuries. There is one very interesting fact: Ukrainian data came into use much earlier than Russian or English. The first surnames had the suffix –enko-, which is now well-known and even customary. But few people know that this is one of the most ancient suffixes, which dates back to the 16th century.

Every word was given to people for a reason; it meant something. So, for example, the common surname Maistrenko has the translation “freedom”, i.e. someone in the family was not a serf, but had the right to be a master. An ethnic Ukrainian can be part of a group that has a long history due to the presence of some specific signs of the formation of a surname.

Men's

Ukrainian male surnames depend on endings and suffixes - this is the most important indicator of construction. They were formed for a long time, based on people’s nicknames, their professions, appearance and region of residence, so they could receive them based on the specifics of their activities. Common alphabetical suffixes that play a major role in data formation are:

-eik-;
-ko-;
-points-;
-nick-;
-ar (ar) -;
-shin-;
-ba- .

Women's

Ukrainian female surnames are formed in the same way as male ones. Here the endings change a little, they have a declination, but only thanks to this we can understand that this is a woman. Also, forms for girls do not exist for everyone. There are also data that do not change, i.e. suitable for both sexes at once. Examples of suffixes are the same as given above. But it’s best to look at it visually.

Pilipenko. Treats both men and women equally.
Serdyukov - from the mention in this case, it is clearly clear that he is a man. Serdyukova - declension with the addition of the letter “a”, one can no longer think that this is the male gender. This consonance is much more suitable for a woman.

Funny Ukrainian surnames

The dictionary of Ukrainian surnames is replete with unusual, funny data, which is even strange to consider as names. No, it's not about ridicule at all. They are just really very funny, funny, few people will have the courage to give their child such a name. Although, for Ukraine, such names are considered the best of all:

Ladle;
Golka;
Do not shoot;
Nedaichleb;
Thinness;
Partridge;
Fear;
Pipko-Besnovatataya;
Cattle;
Kochmarik;
Grievoul;
Gurragcha;
Surdul;
Boshara;
Zhovna.

The list can be continued endlessly; there are also not the most successful options that do not sound very aesthetically pleasing. But what can we do, this is the Ukrainian language, and we must respect it.

Beautiful Ukrainian surnames

Beautiful Ukrainian surnames, the list of which is extensive. There is some familiar data here that comes up frequently. The data is really very interesting, well-known, and most importantly, consistent.

Tkachenko;
Stepanenko;
Plushenko;
Leshchenko;
Skripko;
Goncharenko;
Sobchak;
Tishchenko;
Vinnichenko;
Tymoshenko;
Romanyuk;
Onishchenko;
Guzenko.

Western Ukrainian

Western Ukrainian surnames have the suffix -iv-, it is found absolutely everywhere. For example, Illiv, Ivaniv, Ivantsiv. In general, in Western Ukraine there are not so many endings and suffixes, so people limited themselves to basic additions to the data, without declension: -vich-, -ych-, -ovich-, -evich- and -ich-. That's all the variety. If a word ends in one of these suffixes, then it should immediately be determined that this is exclusively Western Ukraine. So, for example, here are a number of famous names that belong to the Western Ukrainian addition system:

Mishkevich;
Koganovich;
Mrych;
Enukovich;
Gorbatsevich;
Krivich;
Bekonovitch;
Vinich;
Stroganovich;
Strarovoitovich;
Gudzevich;
Bykovich;
Kpekych.

Common

There are also a dozen - the most common Ukrainian surnames, which are not only found on every corner, but are also considered the most popular of all. A large number of famous people have real surnames of Ukrainian origin, for example, astronauts, politicians, etc. List of Ukrainian surnames:

Strelbitsky.
Kravets.
Kravchenko.
Koval.
Kravchuk.
Kovalchuk.
Pridius.
Butko.
Khrushchev.
Matvienko.

How do Ukrainian surnames decline?

Do Ukrainian surnames decline? In general, a man's surname will always fit this rule. But there is also one more weighty rule: non-Russian surnames that end in a consonant are necessarily declined, and foreign data related to non-Slavic traditions ending in a vowel remain unchanged. The feminine side is not as flexible, as there are some suffixes that simply fall out. So, women have to live with male identifiers all their lives, but this does not upset them in any way, because in most cases these surnames are very laconic and beautiful.

Video

We are accustomed to the fact that surnames that end in -in and -ov are considered Russian by default. But in fact, their bearers can be representatives of a variety of peoples: from the Bulgarians and Macedonians in the west to the Buryats and Yakuts in the east. Among Ukrainians there are also many people whose last names have such endings. The common history and numerous connections between fraternal peoples have an impact. So, which Ukrainian surnames are easy to confuse with Russian ones?

Original Ukrainian surnames

Due to a number of factors, Ukrainians acquired surnames earlier than most Russians. The geographical location of the country and the influence of its western neighbors had an impact: mainly the Poles. This process in Ukraine took place in the XIV-XVI centuries. First, surnames appeared among the nobles, then they spread to the merchants and clergy. And although the peasants changed their family nicknames to official surnames a little later, still in the 17th century there was not a single Ukrainian left without this mandatory attribute of citizenship.
However, over time, the surnames of Ukrainians could change. Thus, when joining the Zaporozhye Sich, becoming a Cossack, a man often took a new first and last name to emphasize that he had finally broken with his former life.
Sometimes the son of a man known in Podolia as Petro Pavlyuk, after moving to the Dnieper region, could be recorded there as Pavlo Pavlyuchenko. The process of forming Ukrainian surnames ended in the 19th century, when they were all officially assigned to each person.
And although the endings in -yuk (-uk) and -enko are the most common in this country, some surnames native to Ukraine end with the suffixes -ov (-ev) and -in. For example, Shinkarev, Pankov, Shugaev, Drahomanov, Khrushchev, Kostomarov, Brezhnev, Turchinov. It is quite easy to distinguish them from Russians. It is enough, as they say, to look at the root of the word. If a blacksmith in Ukraine was called a “koval,” then the surname Kovalev could originally only have come from here. Although this is not a reason to consider all its speakers Ukrainians. Over the centuries, various events have taken place: from the banal adoption of children to attempts to hide, getting lost in a neighboring country and “correcting” the surname.
If we talk about the ending -in, then the more expansive form - ishin - indicates Ukrainian origin. Such surnames were formed from women's names or nicknames of residents of Transcarpathia and Galicia. For example, the son of Baba Fedorikha could receive the surname Fedorishin, and the son of Yatsikha could become Yatsishin. Likewise, if unmarried Vasilina gave birth to a baby, and the father did not recognize him as his son, then the boy was registered with the surname Vasylishin, formed on behalf of the mother.
Often women's nicknames came from the names of their husbands: Danilo - Danilikha - Danylyshyn; Pavlo – Pavlikha – Pavlyshyn; Roman - Romanikha - Romanishin, etc.

Ancient surnames

Since the histories of the two fraternal peoples are closely intertwined, some Ukrainian surnames ending in -ov and -in were formed in the era of Kievan Rus, when the ethnic division of the Eastern Slavs had not yet begun. We are talking about representatives of the highest nobility who had surnames already in the 10th century.
For example, the peace treaty between the Byzantine Empire and Kievan Rus, concluded in 944, contains a list of very specific persons who signed it along with the legendary Prince Igor (son of Rurik). Among the noble and influential persons who acted as guarantors of peace on the Kyiv side, this historical document indicates: Karshev, Svirkov, Koloklekov, Voikov, Utin, Vuzlev and Gudov.
Which of the two nations did their descendants subsequently consider themselves to be? There is no longer an exact answer to this question. However, we can say with confidence that the surnames formed during the era of Kievan Rus may well be considered Ukrainian.

Forced Russified surnames

It should be recognized that some Ukrainian surnames were forcibly Russified. So, Romaniv could become Romanov, and Ivankiv could become Ivankov. This process also occurred in neighboring Belarus. During the times of the Russian Empire, some literate person - a county sexton who prepared documents - easily changed Ukrainian surnames just like that, without any malicious intent. Just so that the surname sounds “correct” in the opinion of a scribe transferred to some Kherson office from some Ryazan.
The famous Ukrainian philologist academician Alexander Ponomariv often notes in his journalistic speeches that in pre-revolutionary Russia there was a massive Russification of Ukrainian surnames. And historian Alexander Paliy writes that their rewriting was often carried out in the army, including the Soviet one.
If a person lost his passport, for example, then when replacing it, only one or two letters were corrected. Often people, in response to complaints from official authorities, were told that this spelling of their surnames was more accurate, but previously it was written with an error. Thus, thousands of natives of Galicia, whose surnames are characterized by the ending -iv, lost their national identity.
And in neighboring Belarus, some Ivasheviches became Ivashevs, Lukasheviches - Lukashevs, etc.

"Remade" surnames

Sometimes the process of Russification occurred voluntarily. Usually, after moving to our country, many Ukrainians added the letter “v” to their last names so as not to stand out from the bulk of the population. Porechenkov, Mishchenkov, Petrenkov, Dmitrenkov, Kovalenkov and other similar surnames retain a Ukrainian flavor; they are distinguished by the characteristic suffix “-enko”.
This was done both during the time of the Russian Empire and during the era of the USSR; it was convenient for people to be considered Russian for many reasons: from career advancement to the gossip of their neighbors in the communal kitchen.
It is noteworthy that during the time of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, when part of Ukraine was part of this Polish-Lithuanian state, some people remade their surnames by adding the ending -sky. Thus, the Ukrainians wanted to emphasize their belonging to the gentry - the privileged class of that time.
Many families, after several generations of living in Russia, inevitably acquired Russian endings for their surnames. For example, the grandfather of the great writer Anton Chekhov bore the last name Chekh. However, this happened to almost everyone who moved to our country, because those with the surname Turnip here became Repins, and the Deineks became Denikins.