Belarusian surnames – a list of the most common male and female, their declination and origin

The content of the article

• Belarusian names and surnames
• Belarusian last names – endings
• Declination of Belarusian surnames
• Origin of Belarusian last names
• Funny Belarusian last names

Surnames of the Slavic peoples are similar to each other in the basic lexical composition of the root. The difference may be a change in ending or suffix. The history of origin in the territory of modern Belarus is original and interesting. Learn how to distinguish a person with Belarusian roots.

Belarusian names and surnames

Belarus is included in the group of Slavic peoples, whose ancient tribal roots are closely intertwined. A great influence on family formations was provided by the states neighboring with the Belarusian one. Representatives of Ukrainian, Russian, Lithuanian, Polish communities mixed their tribal path, creating families. Belarusian names are not much different from other East Slavic names. Common names: Olesya, Alesya, Yana, Oksana, Alena, Vasil, Andrey, Ostap, Taras. A more detailed list, sorted alphabetically, can be found in any dictionary..

Belarusian “nicknames” were formed by using a specific ending or suffix. Among the population you can find derivatives from the Russian direction (Petrov – Petrovich), Ukrainian (Shmatko – Shmatkevich), Muslim (Akhmet – Akhmatovich), Jewish (Adam – Adamovich). Over the course of several centuries, the names have changed. The sound that has come down to our days could take different forms several centuries ago (Gonchar – Goncharenko – Goncharenok).

Belarusian last names – endings

Modern endings of Belarusian surnames can be different, it all depends on the roots of origin, from which they had to be formed. Here is a list of the most recognizable surnames of Belarusians ending in:

• -Evich, -ovich, -ivich, -person (Savinich, Yashkevich, Karpovich, Smolich);
• on the basis of Russian s, s (Oreshnikov – Areshnikov, Ryabkov – Rabkov);
• -sky, -sky (Neizvitsky, Tsybulsky, Polyansky);
• -a raccoon, -onok (Kovalenok, Zaboronok, Savenok);
• -co-consonant with Ukrainian (Popko, Vasko, Voronko, Schurko);
• -ok (Sheaf, Zhdanok, Spinning Top);
• -Yen (Kravchenya, Kovalenya, Deshenya);
• -uk, yuk (Abramchuk, Martynyuk);
• -ik (Yakimchik, Novik, Emelyanchik);
• -ec (Borisovets, Malets).

Declination of Belarusian surnames

Possible declension of Belarusian surnames depends on the ending. In most cases, according to the rules for writing the used case, the last letters will change:

• Remizovich: in the male version it will change (the absence of Taras Remizovich), in the female version it will remain the same (absence of Anna Remizovich).
• Muzyka – no Muzyka.
• With the end -o remains unchanged (Golovko, Shevchenko).

Origin of Belarusian last names

The very first ancient family changes among Belarusians began to appear among the wealthy representatives of the noble and merchant families in the 14-15th century. Serfs belonging to one or another house to which they served wore identical common nicknames. The boyar Kozlovsky, all the peasants were called Kozlovsky: this meant that they serve and are related to one owner.

The ending -ich indicated a noble origin (Toganovich, Khodkevich). The origin of the Belarusian surnames was greatly influenced by the name of the locality where the people lived (the village of Berezy – Berezovsky), who at that time had dominant power in the territory of modern Belarus. The derivative on behalf of the father could give the chain to the whole subsequent generation – Alexander Ovich, Vasilevsky.

Funny Belarusian last names

There are surviving surnames of Belarusians with ancient roots, but when they first meet, they cause a smile. The peasants were given nicknames that characterized his inclinations, appearance (Zabudko, Glukhovsky, Unwashed). An example of a not quite ordinary original family list, distributed in Belarus, which is consonant with the names of weather phenomena, animals, insects, plants, but has lost its meaning:

• Bug;
• Nose;
• Deck;
• Windmill;
• Bathed;
• Pear;
• Crayfish;
• Borscht.