142 Russian Surnames and What They Mean

Russian last names read like tiny biographies. A single ending can tell you whether an ancestor was a blacksmith, hailed from a certain village, or simply had a father named Ivan, and that is before you get to the ones drawn from birds, weather, and old nicknames.

This list gathers 142 Russian surnames along with what each one actually means, from familiar patronymics ending in -ov and -in to names with Slavic, Greek, and Hebrew threads running through them.

Scroll through for the sound, the story, or the meaning behind a name that caught your eye.

142 Outstanding Russian Surnames

Here is a complete list of 142 Russian family names and the historical meanings behind them.

1. Abakumov: This patronymic last name starting with A means “son of Abakum.”
2. Adamovich: This patronymic name means “son of Adam,” from the Hebrew “adamah” (earth or ground).
3. Agapov: This uncommon Russian surname carries the angelic meaning of “love.”
4. Agin: Historically tied to illegitimate children, this surname translates to “son of Elagin.”
5. Alekseev: This popular Russian surname translates directly to “son of Alexei.”
6. Alexandrov: A common surname in Bulgaria and Russia, this derivative means “defender of men.”
7. Alexeyev: Derived from the Greek name Alexander, this powerful name means “defender.”
8. Angeloff: Of Bulgarian and Russian origin, this surname comes from Angel, rooted in the Greek “angelos” (messenger).
9. Antonoff: A Bulgarian and Russian patronymic name meaning “of Anton.”
10. Asimov: Derived from the Turkish name Azim, this patronymic name translates to “winter grain.”
11. Babin: Created from the nickname “Baba,” meaning “grandmother” or “old woman.”
12. Babinski: A longer form of Babin, this matronymic name shares the exact same meaning.
13. Bardin: Possibly from the Germanic nickname “Barda,” meaning “distillery refuse” in Russian culture.
14. Barkov: Built on the old personal name Barak (or an archaic short form of Boris), carried into a family name by the patronymic “-ov” ending.
15. Baryshev: If you want your child to prosper, this name means “profit” and fits perfectly.
16. Belinsky: This habitational Russian surname refers to someone “from Belin” in Ukraine.
17. Belkin: A common Russian patronymic name that simply means “squirrel.”
18. Belov: This Slovak and Russian name translates directly to “white and pale.”
19. Belsky: A habitational name reserved for someone originating from the city of Bielsk.
20. Berezin: Coming from the Russian “bereza,” this topographical name refers to someone living near a birch tree.
21. Bobko: Meaning “grandmother” and “old woman,” this female Russian name stems from the root word “Baba.”
22. Bodrov: Shared by a celebrated Russian film director, this surname means “fresh and well-rested.”
23. Bolotin: This Russian and Jewish name describes someone living near a swamp or marsh.
24. Bolshov: A classic Slavic surname from “bolshoy,” the Russian word for big or great.
25. Borin: This name functions as Slovenian for “pine tree” or as a traditional pet name for Boris.
26. Brezhnev: Carried by longtime Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, this surname likely traces to a Slavic place word tied to birch groves or a riverbank settlement.
27. Bunin: Stemming from the Russian word “bunet,” meaning “to drone,” this name historically described a quiet person.
28. Burdin: An old Russian nickname originally used to describe a loutish or clumsy person.
29. Bychkov: Meaning “bull,” this surname denotes a family known for strength and power.
30. Chaban: A highly unique male name with the slightly unfavorable meaning of “bad man.”
31. Chernoff: Describing a dark-haired or dark-skinned person, this Jewish and Russian name serves as an alternative to Chernov.
32. Davidoff: A traditional patronymic name translating to “son of David” or “of David.”
33. Davydov: An alternative spelling of Davidoff that carries the exact same meaning.
34. Devin: Derived from the Russian “deva,” meaning “girl,” this name was typically given to illegitimate children.
35. Dmitriev: Originally of Greek origin, this surname branches from the traditional Russian name Dmitri.
36. Dobrow: While possibly a habitational Ukrainian name, it also translates to “good” in Russian.
37. Dorosh: A Ukrainian and Belarussian name stemming from the Greek Dorotheos, meaning “gift of God.”
38. Dragunov: A bold surname from “dragun,” the Russian word for a dragoon or mounted soldier, later famous through the Dragunov sniper rifle.
39. Drozdov: A relatively rare Russian surname that translates directly to “blackbird.”
40. Duboff: A Russian and Jewish name derived from the word “dub,” which means “oak.”
41. Dubow: A direct variation of Duboff with the same historic Russian and Jewish meaning.
42. Duskin: Meaning “soul,” this Yiddish, Czech, and Bulgarian name features a distinct Slavic twist.
43. Egorov: A classic Russian occupational name historically given to farmers.
44. Elin: Carrying Greek and Hebrew origins, this beautiful name means “bright light” or “sun ray.”
45. Eline: A popular variant spelling of Elin that shares the exact same meaning.
46. Evanoff: An alternative spelling of Ivanov, marking descent from Ivan, the Russian form of John (“God is gracious”).
47. Falin: A rare Russian surname whose exact root is uncertain; the “-in” ending marks a patronymic formed from an ancestor’s given name or nickname.
48. Federoff: Coming from the classic Russian name Feodor, this surname translates to “God’s gift.”
49. Gagarin: Meaning “diving bird,” this surname famously belonged to the first man in space.
50. Galkin: A habitational name linked to a Belarussian village, translating directly to “jackdaw.”
51. Garin: Stemming from the Latin word “gardinus,” this name signifies a garden, guardian, or guard.
52. Genrich: Originating from the German name Heinrich, this Russianized form means “home ruler.”
53. Glazastov: A descriptive surname from “glazasty,” meaning big-eyed or sharp-eyed, rooted in the Russian word “glaz” (eye).
54. Gorbachev: Famous due to the former head of the USSR, this name originally referred to a hunchback.
55. Gorky: Shared by the legendary Russian writer, this intense surname means “extremely bitter.”
56. Gribanov: An uncommon surname from the old nickname “Griban,” carried into a family name by the patronymic “-ov” ending.
57. Gurin: Many Russian family names are habitational, and this one points to a specific village in Belarus.
58. Gurkin: A patronymic surname from Gurka, a pet form of the given name Gury, a relative of Yuri and Georgy.
59. Ismaylov: A prominent and noble Russian family name derived from Ismail, meaning “God will hear.”
60. Ivanoff: Carrying Russian, Belarussian, and Bulgarian roots, this name means “son of Ivan,” the Slavic form of John (“God is gracious”).
61. Ivanov: A streamlined alternative spelling of Ivanoff, keeping the exact same meaning.
62. Ivashin: Formed from Ivashka, an affectionate pet form of Ivan, so it marks descent from someone named Ivan.
63. Kalashnik: A descriptive Ukrainian occupational name given historically to breadmakers.
64. Kandinsky: Best known from pioneering abstract artist Wassily Kandinsky, this “-sky” surname is habitational in form, pointing to a family’s place of origin.
65. Kapranov: A patronymic surname derived from the old Russian personal name Kapron.
66. Kazak: A combined Jewish and Belarussian version of Kozak, which translates to “cossack.”
67. Khorkina: Best known from Olympic gymnast Svetlana Khorkina, this is the feminine form of Khorkin; its exact root is uncertain.
68. Komarov: Translating to “mosquito,” this is certainly one of the less flattering Russian surname meanings.
69. Koskov: A Slavic surname built on the root “kos,” with the patronymic “-ov” ending marking descent from an ancestor’s nickname.
70. Koslov: Countless Russian last names relate to the animal kingdom, and this popular option means “goat.”
71. Krasnoff: From the old Russian “krasny,” meaning beautiful (and later red), this surname carries a warm, positive tone.
72. Kravchuk: An old-world occupational surname specifically referring to a tailor.
73. Kravtsov: A Ukrainian and Russian occupational name signifying a tailor or someone who stitches clothing.
74. Kristoff: Springing from the Greek Christophoros, this badass name means “bearing Christ.”
75. Kuznetzov: Popular for both boys and girls, this classic occupational name translates to “blacksmith.”
76. Lagunov: Another traditional Russian occupational name, this one refers to a water barrel.
77. Laskin: Derived from the word “laska,” meaning “favor,” this Belarussian name translates to “weasel.”
78. Lebedev: Another Russian surname deeply connected to animals, carrying the elegant meaning of “swan.”
79. Lenin: A famous Russian last name for boys, meaning “one who belongs to the River Lena.”
80. Levin: Branching from the Hebrew name Levi, this beautiful option means “heart, joining, and dear friend.”
81. Levitsky: This very old Belarussian and Ukrainian surname means “Levitical,” tied to the priestly tribe of Levi.
82. Lipovsky: Likely originating as a Jewish habitational name, this translates to “lime tree.”
83. Litvin: A streamlined derivative of Litvinov, referring to a person of Lithuanian descent.
84. Lopatin: Meaning “shovel” in Slavic, this habitational Ukrainian name carries Jewish and Russian roots.
85. Lukin: A patronymic surname meaning “son of Luka,” the Slavic form of Luke.
86. Makarov: This traditional patronymic name branches from the Greek name Macarius and means “blessed.”
87. Markoff: A combined Russian and Bulgarian surname meaning “son of Mark.”
88. Markov: A streamlined variant of Markoff, carrying the same “son of Mark” meaning.
89. Markow: This Russian-American version of Markov acts as the short form of the Slavic name Mark.
90. Maslow: Highly likely to be a Russian occupational name translating directly to “butter.”
91. Medvedev: Shared by the high-ranking Russian politician Dmitry Medvedev, this powerful name means “bear.”
92. Melnikoff: Carrying rich Russian Jewish origins, this occupational name means “miller” or “son of a miller.”
93. Minsky: Literally “from Minsk,” the capital of Belarus, this habitational surname points to a family’s home city.
94. Mishkin: Acting as the Yiddish equivalent of Moses or Michael, this name asks “who is like God.”
95. Molchalin: A literary surname from “molchat” (to be silent), borne by a famously reserved character in Griboyedov’s comedy “Woe from Wit.”
96. Molotov: Meaning “hammer,” this surname carries a historically dark tone due to the infamous incendiary cocktail.
97. Morazov: An exceptionally rare surname that translates to the phrase “bitter cold.”
98. Morein: Based closely on the Hebrew word “morenu,” this educational name means “our teacher.”
99. Novikoff: A habitational name springing from the village of Noviki, it also translates to “newcomer” in Russian.
100. Nuriev: Shared by the popular ballet dancer Rudolph Nuriev, this beautiful name means “light.”
101. Orloff: Coming from the Slavic word “orel,” this highly noble name means “eagle” in Russian.
102. Orlov: A modern version of Orloff that maintains the majestic meaning of an eagle.
103. Orlovsky: Historically serving as a symbol of the rich and powerful, Orlovsky also means “eagle” in Russian.
104. Ostrovsky: Belonging to the famous Russian playwright, this geographical surname means “island.”
105. Ovechkin: Another popular animal-based surname, this one carries the gentle meaning of “little sheep.”
106. Pavlov: A fairly common Czech name that translates directly to “son of Paul.”
107. Petroff: The Russian form of the classic Greek name Petros (or Peter), meaning “rock.”
108. Petrov: An alternative spelling of Petroff, keeping the grounded and sturdy meaning of “rock.”
109. Plotnikov: This straightforward occupational name refers to someone working with wood, or a carpenter.
110. Polakoff: A Westernized version of Polyakoff, denoting a leader full of sensitivity and compassion.
111. Poletov: A descriptive surname from “polyot,” the Russian word for flight, fitting for a swift, light-footed ancestor.
112. Polyakov: A traditional variation of Polakoff that preserves its leadership-focused meaning.
113. Popov: A classic patronymic name derived from the Greek Pappas, meaning “son of a priest.”
114. Pushkin: Shared by the legendary Russian poet, this bold name means “cannon” or “artilleryman.”
115. Putin: A prominent surname of modern political aristocracy, though its exact root remains debated among etymologists.
116. Radovich: An Americanized form of the Serbian name Radovic, translating to “merry and joyful.”
117. Rasputin: Forever linked to the famous mystic monk, this geographical name means “crossroads” in Russian.
118. Rodin: Branching gracefully from the Greek “hērodiōn,” this name represents the “morning sun.”
119. Romanoff: Meaning “Romanus” (a citizen of Rome), Romanoff served as the surname of the Russian royal family.
120. Samarin: A classic habitational name explicitly given to someone “from the city of Samara.”
121. Savin: Countless Russian last names for boys come from Latin, like Savin, which translates to “Sabine.”
122. Shubin: Stemming from the Russian and Belarussian word “shuba,” this cozy name means “fur coat.”
123. Smirnov: Familiar worldwide from the vodka brand named after the family, this surname comes from “smirny,” meaning quiet or peaceful.
124. Sokalov: An alternative spelling of Sokaloff, derived from the Russian word “sokol,” meaning “falcon.”
125. Sokoloff: A common Cossack surname from “sokol,” the Russian word for a falcon.
126. Solkov: A rare Russian surname whose root is uncertain; the “-ov” ending marks a patronymic formed from an ancestor’s name or nickname.
127. Sorokin: Derived heavily from the pretty Russian nickname “soroka,” this surname means “magpie.”
128. Trotsky: Known historically as the architect of the Russian Revolution, this name was adopted rather than inherited, and its precise origin is uncertain.
129. Turgenev: Meaning “fast or quick,” this name famously belongs to a celebrated Russian novelist.
130. Ustrashkin: Coming from a rather scary Russian verb, this intimidating surname means “to frighten or intimidate.”
131. Vasnetsov: The surname of a highly celebrated Russian artist, though its original meaning remains largely unknown.
132. Vershinin: A topographic surname from “vershina,” the Russian word for a summit or peak, pointing to an ancestor who lived on high ground.
133. Vikhrov: A vivid surname from “vikhr,” the Russian word for a whirlwind.
134. Volkov: This undeniably cool Russian surname translates directly to “wolf” or “child of someone called Wolf.”
135. Volodin: This powerful Russian name means “Volodya’s” and points back to a “universal ruler” in Slavic folklore.
136. Yeltsin: Meaning “fir tree” in Russian, this recognizable surname belonged to the very first Russian President.
137. Yevstigneyev: This rather long traditional Russian surname translates precisely as “son of Yevstigney’s.”
138. Zharkov: A common Russian surname from “zharkiy” (hot or fiery), first given as a nickname for a spirited person.
139. Zherdev: A nickname surname from “zherd,” the Russian word for a long pole, once given to a tall, lean person.
140. Zhilin: A nickname surname from “zhila,” the Russian word for a vein or sinew, once used for a wiry, tough person.
141. Zolotov: From “zoloto,” the Russian word for gold, this surname has a rich, precious ring.
142. Zubarev: A patronymic name heavily derived from the Russian word “zub,” which accurately means “teeth.”

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