Chuvash surnames and names

Quiet, peaceful, quiet, modest - this is the meaning given to linguists by the word "Chuvash", as one of the Volga nationalities calls themselves. Chuvash families have long mixed with the native Russian and Ukrainian, and maybe other nations borrowed some of them from the Chuvashes? The historical past of this people is very interesting, as is the origin of their nominal naming. It is to this topic that we will pay attention today, let us examine in more detail the names and names of the Chuvashes, as well as the history of their origin.

Who are the Chuvash?

Once upon a time, presumably in the 7th and 8th century, one of the hordes of the Bulgar tribes moved eastward, reached the middle Volga and Kama, and settled there, mixing with the Finno-Ugric tribes. Later Volzhko-Bulgar kingdom was formed here, the population of which was the Turkic-speaking tribes of Bulgarians, Estelle and Bersul. Chuvash consider themselves descendants of Bulgars, Suvars and Savirs. The merging of the Christian, Muslim, pagan cultural traditions in the Volga Bulgaria was reflected in the names. Primordially Slavic Chuvash names and surnames coexist with Muslims, despite the fact that their bearers are of one nationality.

Where and how do the Chuvash live?

Almost half of all Chuvash people live in the territory of the modern Chuvash republic, which is part of the Russian Federation. Chuvash surnames can also be found throughout Russia. Many Chuvashes live in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan. The main creed of modern descendants of the Bulgars is Orthodox Christianity, but many of them remain committed to Islam or worship traditional pagan beliefs. The Chuvash language is a unique branch of the Turkic language group.

Names in Paganism

Until the first half of the 18th century, the main religion among the Volga Bulgars was paganism, in which the name of the newborn was given great importance. Chuvash surnames, as such, did not exist in those days. This is not a feature of the Turkic language, this order of naming was peculiar to most peoples around the world. Pagan names denoted the forces and phenomena of nature, qualities that parents wanted to bestow upon their child. The pre-Christian names of the Chuvashes were by origin as originally belonging to the native language, and borrowed from other language groups. Later, after the adoption of Christianity, many names adapted to Slavic, Russian, supplemented by surnames. Recently, the population of the Chuvash Republic has a fashion for beautiful pre-Christian national names. The most common are:

• Ilem (pi - for the girl) is "beauty".
• Miliuk is an idealistic person.
• Narspie is a beautiful girl.
• Alekhan is the defender.
• Takhtaman is tenacious.

Transformed Chuvash surnames

The main thing in pagan society was the name, to clarify who is talking about, the person was added a nickname: belonging to the family, the family: whose? - Ilemov, Alekhanov, Nikiforov, etc. There was a popular belief among the people that the child would be stronger and healthier if he was named after the name of the animal, tree or bird. Adding the end of "- s" formed a second name. These second names were often translated into Russian, forming new Russian surnames, identical in meaning to the Chuvash. Examples:

Yuman (oak) - Yumanov, Dubov; Kurak (Grach) - Kurakov, Grachev; Kashkar (wolf) - Kashkarov, Volkov; Kartash (ruff) - Kartashov, Ershov. The origin of Chuvash surnames of this kind explains that in one family there may be relatives of Kartashov near the Ershovs, the Yumanovs with the Dubovs, and so on.

Christianity and surnames

After the adoption of Orthodoxy during the rite of baptism, the Chuvash received a new Orthodox name and surname, which was most often formed on behalf of the father and served as a patronymic: father - Nikita Ivanov, son of Thomas Nikitin, grandson Alex Fomin. Such naming caused confusion in the document circulation, then the Russian government passed a law obliging to carry a fixed surname, which will be passed on to children on the paternal line. Then the surnames transformed with the help of graduation, from nicknames, professions and occupation, character traits and appearance began to appear. Often a person had two names - one old pagan in everyday use, and a new one, with a surname, for official documents.

The Chuvash or Russian surname?

In the Chuvash and Russian, most of the surnames are formed by the end of the "-y" or "-owa" for women. This word formation was adopted by the ancestors of the Chuvash - Bulgarians. After the inclusion of the territory of the Volga Bulgars in the Russian state, mutual enrichment of the cultures of different peoples occurred. Many Russian high-ranking officials came to the service in Chuvashia, accepting the traditions of this region. In turn, the Chuvash became Christians, changed the Russian names and Chuvash surnames. The list of surnames, with general formations for Russians and for Chuvashes, as well as for Bulgarians, consists of 70% of the surnames for "-yes" and "-ev." They were formed, basically, from the names of fathers or from the occupation. A significant part is also the surnames with the endings "-n" or "-yaykin". Chuvashian names are characterized by the use of a caressingly-decreasing declension. Hence Mishaikins, Vanyutkin, Kolunin. Abashki, Chindyaikin, Samardeykin - also from the Chuvash areas.

The most famous Chuvash surnames: list alphabetically

It is very difficult to distinguish by gender the belonging of the genus to the Chuvash roots. Historical events, times when the surname could be changed at will, led to the fact that now 99% of Chuvash people have Christian names and surnames. And the most common are Ivanov, Petrov, Mikhailov. The following short list includes the most common surnames, which, according to linguists, have bulgarian roots. This, far from complete list, is an example of how the ancient history of the people lives in his surnames.

• Abashev.
• Abdulov.
• Agishev.
• Adashev.
• Aksakov.
• Diamonds.
• Anichkov.
• Arsenyev.
• Babichev.
• Bazhov.
• Bazarov.
• Cormorants.
• Baranov.
• Velyaminov.
• Vedernikov.
• Garshin.
• Glinsky.
• Davydov ..
• Ermolov
• Zhdanov.
• Tooth.
• Zyuzin.
• Karamzin.
• Karmyshev.
• Karacheev.
• Mosolov.
• Muratov.
• Stroganov.
• Suvorov.
• Temirov.
• Tenishev.
• Chekmarev.
• Chemesov.
• Yakushin.
• Yaušev.