Moldovan surnames: the history of appearance and examples

For a long time, Moldavia has been the center of intersection of many cultures. This was reflected in the local anthroponymy, which includes heterogeneous elements. Below we will talk about what the Moldovan surnames are.

Sources of names

There were several sources, from which the names began to form.

• First, these are personal names.
• Secondly, the father's nickname or his profession, occupation.
• Thirdly, the profession of man himself.
• Fourth, place of birth or permanent residence.
• Fifth, belonging to some ethnic group.
• And finally, sixthly, these are personal characteristics (appearance, character, etc.).

History of surnames

Surnames in the proper sense of the word appeared in Moldovans not so long ago. Moldovan surnames, playing the role of nicknames in status individuals, existed approximately from the XIII century. But these were unofficial appeals, whereas on paper only names were recorded. From historical documents of that era we know that a significant number of notable persons in Moldova were of Ruthenian origin. Most of the population received names only in the XVIII century, and then closer to its end. A little later, in the XIX century, Moldovans, when they were going to serve in the army (Russian or Austrian troops), were supposed to give a surname. In the absence of this, a nickname was recorded in the documents, which has since become the official surname.

Characteristics of names

Most of the names of the Slavic population in Moldova ends in "ov", "yi", "ich", "im", "k". For the first time they have been mentioned since the XIII century. Further, the Moldovan surnames with the suffixes "Uk", "Yuk", "Ak" and the like are widespread. In general, Slavic, Ruthenian and Little Russian names gave rise to modern Moldovan surnames. Examples include such people as Zaporozhyan, Rusnak, Butz and others. As for the form "Buts", and also "Guts", some modern researchers believe that they come from the word "Hutsul", an ethnonym designating the Eastern Slavs. This word is comparable to modern "katsap", "moskal" or earlier "district", denoting the Rusyns living within Northern Bessarabia. The Moldovan surnames of Raiko and Railyan are mostly the descendants of the residents of Khotynsky Uyezd. But Rusnak's surname is directly derived from the word-self-name of the Ruthenians.

The census of the Moldovan population in the years 1772-1774 tells a lot about the Moldovan names and surnames that were widespread at that time. Accordingly, according to these data, it is possible to calculate the national composition of the then population of the country. The census was conducted by order and by the forces of the Russian army. The shortcomings of her documentation led to the fact that a person could be recorded according to completely different criteria: the name, or last name, or occupation, or paternity, or nationality. At the same time, it is not always possible to understand what the speech in general is about in the census. For example, in the record "Ionita, Munteans" it is not clear whether this person is a mountaineer, how this word is translated from the Moldovan language, or whether it comes from Wallachia, which was called the Muntenia. There also belongs the record of "Macovei, Unguryan". It can mean, like the fact that a person comes from Hungary, and the fact that he lived there for a while. Moreover, it can also be interpreted as an indication of nationality, without reference to the place of residence or simply as a surname.

Moldovan surnames: list

Of course, the list of Moldovan surnames, including tens of thousands of items, can not be brought here. We will mention only those of them that are interesting for their national color and origin.

• Boyko. The Rusyn name.
• Rousse. The Rusyn name.
• To the Cossack. This is a variant of Little Russian.
• Khokhlov. As for the origin, the surname speaks for itself.
• Bulgar. The Bulgarian surname.
• Sirba. The name of the Gagauz origin.
• Mocanu. The name that came from the Wallachians.
• Leah. Obviously, a surname associated with Polish origin.
• Turku. Surname, reflecting the Turkish origin.
• Tataru. The Tatar surname.