Which "Russian" surnames are actually Jewish? Which Russian surnames are actually Tatar.

Russians have always had a special relationship with the Germans. It is not surprising that today there are many people living in Russia whose ancestors were ethnic Germans. But is it possible to calculate them by last name?

German migrants in Russia

The Germans appeared in Rus' in the pre-Petrine era. Let's remember the German Settlement in Moscow. In the era of Peter I and Catherine the Great, the processes of migration of the German population to Russia acquired an even larger scale. Extensive German colonies appeared in the Volga region (Saratov and Tsaritsyn provinces), as well as in New Russia. Many immigrants from Germany subsequently moved away from the Lutheran faith, but retained their family surnames. Subsequently, many German surnames in Russia were often mistaken for Jewish ones - for example, Rubinstein, Hoffmann, Eisenstein, Weisberg, Rosenthal. The fact is that among the immigrants from Germany there were many Jews, and they also bore the surnames German origin. For example, we know that the actress Alisa Freundlich has German roots (by the way, this surname means “kind”, “friendly” in German), but what about the surnames Schwartz (in German - “black”), Schmidt (“blacksmith” ) or Neumann (" new person") we already doubt it. Sometimes Russian endings were added to German surnames. So the Millers became the Millerovs, the Furmans became the Furmanovs, the Schneiders became the Schneiderovs, the Schultzes became the Shultzevs.

German surnames of Slavic origin

By the way, note that the mass German surnames are in tune with the Russians. The fact is that the German lands in the east bordered Slavic states, and mixing took place national cultures. And since the formation of surnames almost everywhere took place according to the same principles - according to geographical location, according to the names of ancestors, nicknames, and finally, professional affiliation, then we can talk about Russian or Polish origin surnames ending in “-its”, “-ov”, “-of”, “-ek”, “-ke” or “-ski”. Thus, the surname of the burgomaster of the city of Stralsund, Alexander Badrov, is very similar to the Russian surname Bodrov. Russia had the legendary football coach Konstantin Beskow, and Germany had Hans-Joachim Beskow, a modern German theologian and church historian. Germany has the famous hockey goalie Patrick Kozlov, and Russia has the hockey player Viktor Kozlov. The surname Kozlov is generally common among us. Both in Russia and Germany there are the names Barkov, Belov, Burov, Glazov, Grabov, Gulyaev, Dumov, Klokov, Krasov, Levashev, Letov, Lovtsov, Malov, Milov, Mirov, Pankov, Rakov, Runov, Svechin, Turov, Shapov . The surname Gershov is believed to be a variant of the Russian surname Ershov. The same applies to surnames ending in “-er”. This ending comes from the word “yar”, which in the ancient Slavic language meant a person. For example, a painter, a carpenter, a fisherman, a baker. During the period of Germanization, surnames with “-yar” were translated into German by selecting the appropriate roots or simply replacing the endings with “-er”. For example, Smolyar became Smoller, and the surname Sokolov was translated as Falk - Sokol.

Russian or German?

There is also a layer of surnames ending in “-in”, in which philologists see an echo of the ancient, even Varangian era, connections between the southern Baltic lands and Russia. So, in Russia there was popular actor Georgy Vitsin. The surname Vitsin is also found among the Germans. There is a version that a representative of the Vitsin family became the founder of the Fonvizin family, from which the playwright Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin came. His ancestor, steward of Tsar Ivan Alekseevich Andrei Afanasyevich Fon-Vizin, indicated in his pedigree the origin of his family from the Sword Bearers. Another member of the Fonvizin family late XVIII century called the founder of the family a certain Berndt-Woldemar Von-Wissin, taken prisoner in Livonia under Ivan the Terrible. Subsequently, the surname could turn into Fon-Vizin, and then into Fonvizin. By the way, in Russia it is not so common, but there are surnames with the prefix “-von” or “-fan”: Fondurin, Fonderin, Fanberin. It is possible that they all originated from the names of German aristocrats who once settled in Rus'. In both Russia and Germany there are such surnames as Babin, Belin, Bodin, Bredin, Weltsin, Volin, Galin, Devin, Demin, Dolin, Zelin, Ledin, Lepin, Lipin, Repin. There are also consonant surnames: Gribin - Griben, Dubin - Duben, Kolpin - Kelpin, Lyubin - Lyuben, Tsaplin - Tsepelin. Theoretically they could have common origin. True, in this case it is difficult to say whether it is German or Russian.

Anthroponymy specialists count over 500 noble and noble families that were originally of Tatar origin. Among them are Aksakovs, Alyabyevs, Apraksins, Berdyaev, Bunins, Bukharins, Godunovs, Gorchakovs, Dashkov, Derzhavins, Ermolovs, Kadyshevs, Mashkovs, Naryshkin, Ogarev, Peshkovs, Radishchevs, Transchanes, Ryazanovs, Timiryazevs, Turgenevs, Ulanovs, Chaadeva, Chaadevs, Chaadevs Sheremetevs, Yusupovs and many others.

For example, the surname Anichkovs. Its ancestors came from the Horde. The first mention of them dates back to 1495. The Atlasovs' ancestors bore the common Tatar surname Atlasi. The Kozhevnikovs, according to one version, received this surname not at all from the profession of a tanner, but from family name, which included the word “khoja” (in Tatar “lord”). New surname representatives of this family were assigned after they entered the service of Ivan III. The Karamzins descended from the Tatar Kara Murza (which literally means “Black Prince”). The surname itself has been known since the 16th century. At first, its representatives bore the surname Karamza, and then turned into the Karamzins. Most famous descendant of this kind is the writer, poet and historian N.M. Karamzin.

Most Tatar surnames come from the name borne by one of the male ancestors in the family. In ancient times, the surname was given by the father, but in early XIX centuries, both children and grandchildren bore the same surname. After arrival Soviet power these names were enshrined in official documents and did not change. Many surnames were given by profession.

Thus, the surname Baksheev came from “bakshi” (scribe), Karaulov - from “karavyl” (guard), Beketov - from “beket” (the so-called teacher of the khan’s son), Tukhachevsky - from “tukhachi” (standard bearer). The surname Suvorov, which we are accustomed to consider Russian, became known in the 15th century. It comes from the profession of a horseman (in Tatar - “suvor”). The first person to bear this surname was the serviceman Goryain Suvorov, who was mentioned in the chronicles for 1482. Subsequently, a legend was invented that the founder of the Suvorov family was a Swede named Suvore, who settled in Russia in 1622. But the surname Tatishchev was assigned by Grand Duke Ivan III to Ivan Shah’s nephew, Prince Solomersky, who was something of an investigator and was distinguished by his ability to quickly identify thieves, who were called “tats” in Tatar. But much more often, Tatar surnames were based on the distinctive qualities of their bearers. So, the ancestors of the Bazarovs received this nickname because they were born on market days. The brother-in-law (husband of his wife’s sister) was called “bazha” in Tatar, hence the surname Bazhanov.

The Tatars called respected people “Velyamin”, and this is how the Russian surname Veliaminov was born, later changed to Velyaminov. Proud people were called “Bulgaks”, hence the surname Bulgakov. Beloved and loving people were called “Dauds” or “Davuds”, later this was transformed into Davydovs. The surname Zhdanov became widespread in Rus' in the 15th-17th centuries. Presumably it comes from the word “vijdan”, which in Tatar meant both passionate lovers and religious fanatics.

The surname Akchurin stands apart. In Russian version Tatar surnames usually have the ending -ov(-ev) or -in(-yn). But certain family names, derived from the names of the Tatar Murzas, were left unchanged even in documents: Enikei, Akchurin, Divey. In the surname Akchurin, “-in” is not a Russian ending, it is part of an ancient family name. One of the variants of its pronunciation is “ak-chura” - “white hero”. Among the representatives of the Akchurin family, whose ancestor is the Mishar-Mordovian prince Adash, who lived in the 15th century, there were famous officials, diplomats, and military men. Of course, it is simply impossible to list all Russian surnames with Tatar roots. To do this, you need to know the etymology of each specific surname.

How did Tatar surnames appear in Rus'?

Russian surnames Tatar origin appeared, of course, during the period Tatar-Mongol yoke. Then many Tatars served at the court of Ivan the Terrible and other Russian tsars. A lot has happened mixed marriages between representatives of the Russian and Tatar nobility. As a result, anthroponymic experts count over 500 noble and noble families that were originally of Tatar origin. Among them are Aksakovs, Alyabyevs, Apraksins, Berdyaev, Bunins, Bukharins, Godunovs, Gorchakovs, Dashkov, Derzhavins, Ermolovs, Kadyshevs, Mashkovs, Naryshkin, Ogarev, Peshkovs, Radishchevs, Transchanes, Ryazanovs, Timiryazevs, Turgenevs, Ulanovs, Chaadeva, Chaadevs, Chaadevs Sheremetevs, Yusupovs and many others.

Examples of the origin of Russian surnames from the Tatars

Take, for example, the name Anichkov. Its ancestors came from the Horde. The first mention of them dates back to 1495. The Atlasovs' ancestors bore the common Tatar surname Atlasi. The Kozhevnikovs, according to one version, received this surname not at all from the tanner’s profession, but from their family surname, which included the word “Khoja” (in Tatar “master”). Representatives of this family were given a new surname after they entered the service of Ivan III in 1509.

The Karamzins descended from the Tatar Kara Murza (which literally means “Black Prince”). The surname itself has been known since the 16th century. At first, its representatives bore the surname Karamza, and then turned into the Karamzins. The most famous descendant of this family is the writer, poet and historian N.M. Karamzin.

Types of Tatar surnames in Russia

Most Tatar surnames come from the name borne by one of the male ancestors in the family. In ancient times, the surname was given by the father, but at the beginning of the 19th century both children and grandchildren bore the same surname. After the arrival of Soviet power, these surnames were enshrined in official documents and did not change.

Many surnames were given by profession. Thus, the surname Baksheev came from “bakshi” (scribe), Karaulov - from “karavyl” (guard), Beketov - from “beket” (the so-called teacher of the khan’s son), Tukhachevsky - from “tukhachi” (standard bearer).

The surname Suvorov, which we are accustomed to consider Russian, became known in the 15th century. It comes from the profession of a horseman (in Tatar - “suvor”). The first person to bear this surname was the serviceman Goryain Suvorov, who was mentioned in the chronicles for 1482. Subsequently, a legend was invented that the founder of the Suvorov family was a Swede named Suvore, who settled in Russia in 1622.

But the surname Tatishchev was assigned by Grand Duke Ivan III to Ivan Shah’s nephew, Prince Solomersky, who was something of an investigator and was distinguished by his ability to quickly identify thieves, who were called “tats” in Tatar.

But much more often, Tatar surnames were based on the distinctive qualities of their bearers. So, the ancestors of the Bazarovs received this nickname because they were born on market days. The brother-in-law (husband of his wife’s sister) was called “bazha” in Tatar, hence the surname Bazhanov. The Tatars called respected people “Velyamin”, and this is how the Russian surname Veliaminov was born, later changed to Velyaminov.

Proud people were called “Bulgaks”, hence the surname Bulgakov. Beloved and loving people were called “Dauds” or “Davuds”, later this was transformed into Davydovs.

The surname Zhdanov became widespread in Rus' in the 15th-17th centuries. Presumably it comes from the word “vijdan”, which in Tatar meant both passionate lovers and religious fanatics.

The surname Akchurin stands apart. In the Russian version, Tatar surnames usually end in -ov(-ev) or -in (-yn). But certain family names, derived from the names of the Tatar Murzas, were left unchanged even in documents: Enikei, Akchurin, Divey. In the surname Akchurin, “-in” is not a Russian ending, it is part of an ancient family name. One of the variants of its pronunciation is “ak-chura” - “white hero”. Among the representatives of the Akchurin family, whose ancestor is the Mishar-Mordovian prince Adash, who lived in the 15th century, there were famous officials, diplomats, and military men.

Of course, it is simply impossible to list all Russian surnames with Tatar roots. To do this, you need to know the etymology of each specific surname.

How did Tatar surnames appear in Rus'?

Russian surnames of Tatar origin appeared, of course, during the period of the Tatar-Mongol yoke. Then many Tatars served at the court of Ivan the Terrible and other Russian tsars. There were many mixed marriages between representatives of the Russian and Tatar nobility. As a result, anthroponymic experts count over 500 noble and noble families that were originally of Tatar origin.

Among them are Aksakovs, Alyabyevs, Apraksins, Berdyaev, Bunins, Bukharins, Godunovs, Gorchakovs, Dashkov, Derzhavins, Ermolovs, Kadyshevs, Mashkovs, Naryshkin, Ogarev, Peshkovs, Radishchevs, Transchanes, Ryazanovs, Timiryazevs, Turgenevs, Ulanovs, Chaadeva, Chaadevs, Chaadevs Sheremetevs, Yusupovs and many others.

Examples of the origin of Russian surnames from the Tatars

Take, for example, the name Anichkov. Its ancestors came from the Horde. The first mention of them dates back to 1495. The Atlasovs' ancestors bore the common Tatar surname Atlasi.

The Kozhevnikovs, according to one version, received this surname not at all from the tanner’s profession, but from their family surname, which included the word “Khoja” (in Tatar “master”). Representatives of this family were given a new surname after they entered the service of Ivan III in 1509.

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin - historian, poet, prose writer, reformer of the Russian literary language.

Types of Tatar surnames in Russia

Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov - Russian commander.

Proud people were called “Bulgaks”, hence the surname Bulgakov. Beloved and loving people were called “Dauds” or “Davuds”, later this was transformed into Davydovs.

Denis Vasilyevich Davydov - Russian poet, most bright representative"Hussar poetry", memoirist, lieutenant general.

The surname Zhdanov became widespread in Rus' in the 15th-17th centuries. Presumably it comes from the word “vijdan”, which in Tatar meant both passionate lovers and religious fanatics.

In the surname Akchurin, “-in” is not a Russian ending, it is part of an ancient family name. One of the variants of its pronunciation is “ak-chura” - “white hero”. Among the representatives of the Akchurin family, whose ancestor is the Mishar-Mordovian prince Adash, who lived in the 15th century, there were famous officials, diplomats, and military men.

Of course, it is simply impossible to list all Russian surnames with Tatar roots. To do this, you need to know the etymology of each specific surname.

There are many misconceptions about the nationality of certain surnames. Thus, some surnames are traditionally considered Jewish, while others are considered Russian. Although this may not be the case.

Myths about Jewish surnames

So, any of our compatriots identifies as Jewish surnames Abramovich, Bergman, Ginzburg, Goldman, Zilberman, Katzman, Cohen, Kramer, Levin, Malkin, Rabinovich, Rivkin, Feldstein, Etkind.

It is generally accepted that all surnames with the suffix “-sky” or “-ich” are Jewish in Russia. But in fact, these are most often the surnames of Polish or Ukrainian origin, indicating the name of the area where the person’s ancestors came from. And they can be worn by both Jews and Poles, Ukrainians, Belarusians... And surnames such as Preobrazhensky or Rozhdestvensky were given to seminary graduates, most of whom were Russian.

Another mistake is to consider all surnames with the suffixes “-ov” or “-in” to be Russian. In Russia, indeed, most surnames have such suffixes. But they all have different origins: some were given by the names of their parents, others by their professional affiliation, and others by nicknames. During administrative recording of documents, surnames could be “Russified.” So, who would think that the Russian composer Rachmaninov Jewish roots? But the surname Rachmaninov owes its origin to the Hebrew “Rahman”, which means “merciful” - this is one of the names of God.

What surnames do Jews in Russia have?

Mass emigration of Jews to Russia began during the time of Catherine II, after the annexation of Poland. In order to assimilate with the local population, representatives Jewish people sometimes they took surnames similar to Russian or Polish ones: Medinsky, Novik, Kaganovich.

There is also a group of surnames of non-Jewish origin, which, however, are predominantly worn by Jews: Zakharov, Kazakov, Novikov, Polyakov, Yakovlev. This is how it happened historically.

Jewish surnames that we mistake for Russian

Russian Jews were often given surnames based on their professional affiliation or the profession of their parents. So, the Russian surname Shkolnikov seems to come from “schoolboy” (that’s what they called a servant in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church). Many Jews have this surname. The surname Shelomov comes from “shelom”. Its representatives were helmet makers. Dyers and Sapozhnikov - these are the names of Jews whose ancestors were engaged in painting and sewing shoes. These were common Jewish professions in pre-revolutionary Russia. We are accustomed to considering the Russian surname Moiseev, but it comes from Jewish name Moses! The same thing with the surname Avdeev. But Abramov is really a Russian surname: in Rus' there was also the name Abram!

The surnames Shapkin, Tryapkin, Portyankin come from Jewish nicknames. Few people think that the Jewish surnames Galkin, Dolin, Kotin, Lavrov, Plotkin, Sechin, Shokhin, Shuvalov are Jewish...

Everyone knows that Lenin’s comrade-in-arms, Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee Yakov Mikhailovich Sverdlov was a Jew. It was even rumored that he real name Katz. But in fact, he never changed his last name: Sverdlov is a fairly common last name among Jews.