If you are asked what is the most common surname on the territory of the Russian Federation, the surname Ivanov will probably come to mind first.
She flaunts in the samples of filling out documents in the passport office and is a derivative of the equally popular name Ivan. Neither time nor fashion has power over this name, derived from the Hebrew counterpart John (interpreted literally as "God took pity").
Now the descendants of ordinary Russian peasants named Ivan have filled one-sixth of the land, and it seems they are not going to give up their positions. And this is despite the fact that in the 21st century the Smirnovs are stepping on the heels of the Ivanovs. And according to some sources, the latter even surpassed the former in terms of prevalence.
The surname became widespread after the abolition of serfdom
Despite the popularity of the name Ivan, the widespread distribution of the name Ivanov was observed only at the end of the 19th century. This became possible thanks to the abolition of serfdom and the emerging need for accounting for peasant souls.
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According to the chronicles of historians, previously only nobles and wealthy townspeople could bear surnames. In the passports of the serfs, only the names given at birth were indicated. But in everyday life, nicknames are often used.
But after the Senate resolution of 1888, commoners joined the number of the inhabitants of Russia who had the right to surnames. From now on, this postscript in the passport was not only a privilege, but also a duty.
History of origin, traditions, formation of Russian surnames
Noble families were formed from the names of the localities in which the nobles had their land holdings. Peasant surnames were most often formed from nicknames. That is why in our country there are so many surnames associated with names, animals or crafts.
In addition, the emergence of a particular surname was due to the patronymic (this tradition can be traced in other cultures) or the name given at baptism. The Old Testament prophet John the Baptist was one of the most popular religious characters, including in the Orthodox culture.
Well, if you looked into the Saints, where the name days of this or that saint are indicated for each day of the year, you would find that the champion among male names is just Ivan or John. Out of 365 days a year, Ivanov's name day occurs a whopping 141 times.
Most popular first name to most popular last name
Among the saints, this name was very common. There is nothing surprising in the fact that people wanted to enlist the support of the heavenly patron angel, so they often named their children Ivan. However, in our days, little has changed. What can we say about the period that became the starting point in the formation of peasant families!
So, if you focus on the data of the population census conducted in the Russian Empire in 1897, a fourth of the male population bore the surname Ivanov. We are the descendants of all these people.
Currently, there are about two million citizens living in Russia with this wonderful surname. And this is taking into account the fact that our country is becoming more and more international and more and more often opens its hospitable doors to people from other states.
Are there people with the surname Ivanova in your environment?
Author: Inga Kaisina