100 Cool Russian Last Names

Russian surnames encapsulate history, culture, and meaning, portraying relationships to a specific ancestor, occupation, or personality traits.

Most are patronymic, like many Slavic surnames, deriving from the father’s first name, although with different endings for males and females.

Some are of noble origin while others come from nature, occupations, or even descriptive nicknames.

If you are investigating genealogy, inquisitive about your heritage, or just fascinated with the beauty of Russian names, this guide will take you through them in terms of provide an insight into their origins, meanings, and peculiarities.

Russian last names

Ivanov (Иванов) – “Son of Ivan” (John)

Petrov (Петров) – “Son of Pyotr” (Peter)

Sidorov (Сидоров) – “Son of Sidor”

Fedorov (Фёдоров) – “Son of Fedor” (Theodore)

Alekseev (Алексеев) – “Son of Aleksey”

Nikolaev (Николаев) – “Son of Nikolai”

Pavlov (Павлов) – “Son of Pavel” (Paul)

Sergeev (Сергеев) – “Son of Sergei”

Mikhailov (Михайлов) – “Son of Mikhail” (Michael)

Dmitriev (Дмитриев) – “Son of Dmitry”

Smirnov (Смирнов) – “Quiet, humble”

Kuznetsov (Кузнецов) – “Blacksmith”

Popov (Попов) – “Priest”

Volkov (Волков) – “Wolf”

Sokolov (Соколов) – “Falcon”

Orlov (Орлов) – “Eagle”

Medvedev (Медведев) – “Bear”

Lebedev (Лебедев) – “Swan”

Gusev (Гусев) – “Goose”

Vorobyev (Воробьёв) – “Sparrow”

Zaytsev (Зайцев) – “Hare”

Sorokin (Сорокин) – “Magpie”

Vasiliev (Васильев) – “Son of Vasily”

Kozlov (Козлов) – “Goat”

Zhukov (Жуков) – “Beetle”

Shapovalov (Шаповалов) – “Hat maker”

Tkachev (Ткачёв) – “Weaver”

Rybakov (Рыбаков) – “Fisherman”

Melnikov (Мельников) – “Miller”

Bondarev (Бондарев) – “Cooper (barrel maker)”

Korolev (Королёв) – “King”

Tsarev (Царёв) – “Tsar, ruler”

Boyarov (Бояров) – “Nobleman”

Rogov (Рогов) – “Horned”

Yakovlev (Яковлев) – “Son of Yakov”

Egorov (Егоров) – “Son of Egor”

Filippov (Филиппов) – “Son of Filipp”

Karpov (Карпов) – “Carp (fish)”

Belyaev (Беляев) – “White”

Chernov (Чернов) – “Black”

Morozov (Морозов) – “Frost”

Letov (Летов) – “Summer”

Osipov (Осипов) – “Son of Osip”

Platonov (Платонов) – “Son of Platon”

Romanov (Романов) – “Son of Roman”

Savelyev (Савельев) – “Son of Saveliy”

Tarasov (Тарасов) – “Son of Taras”

Ushakov (Ушаков) – “Big ears”

Yudin (Юдин) – “Of Judah”

Zinoviev (Зиновьев) – “Son of Zinoviy”

Artemov (Артемов) – “Son of Artem”

Bogdanov (Богданов) – “Son of Bogdan” (God-given)

Gavrilov (Гаврилов) – “Son of Gavriil” (Gabriel)

Danilov (Данилов) – “Son of Danil” (Daniel)

Yefimov (Ефимов) – “Son of Yefim” (Pious)

Stepanov (Степанов) – “Son of Stepan” (Stephen)

Ignatov (Игнатов) – “Son of Ignat” (Fiery)

Kazakov (Казаков) – “Cossack”

Troitsky (Троицкий) – “From the Trinity”

Kozhemyakin (Кожемякин) – “Leatherworker”

Lazarev (Лазарев) – “Son of Lazar”

Marin (Марин) – “Of the sea”

Prokhorov (Прохоров) – “Son of Prokhor”

Fomin (Фомин) – “Son of Foma” (Thomas)

Rodionov (Родионов) – “Son of Rodion”

Samsonov (Самсонов) – “Son of Samson”

Timofeev (Тимофеев) – “Son of Timofey”

Uvarov (Уваров) – “Cook, baker”

Fedotov (Федотов) – “Son of Fedot”

Yuriev (Юрьев) – “Son of Yuri”

Bogomolov (Богомолов) – “One who prays to God”

Veshnyakov (Вешняков) – “Springtime”

Dubrovsky (Дубровский) – “From the oak grove”

Laptev (Лаптев) – “Woven shoe maker”

Martynov (Мартынов) – “Son of Martyn” (Martin)

Nikonov (Никонов) – “Son of Nikon”

Odintsov (Одинцов) – “Firstborn”

Pankratov (Панкратов) – “All-powerful”

Razumov (Разумов) – “Wise, intelligent”

Safonov (Сафонов) – “Wise, clever”

Terentyev (Терентьев) – “Son of Terenty”

Ulyanov (Ульянов) – “Son of Ulyan”

Firsov (Фирсов) – “Son of Firs”

Kharlamov (Харламов) – “Son of Kharlampi”

Chekhov (Чехов) – “From the Czech lands”

Shcherbakov (Щербаков) – “Gap-toothed”

Yashenko (Ященко) – “Little snake”

Zadornov (Задорнов) – “Cheerful, lively”

Shelepov (Шелепов) – “Talkative”

Krestov (Крестов) – “Cross, Christian symbol”

Zemtsov (Земцов) – “From the land, peasant”

Gorin (Горин) – “Mountain”

Vikhrov (Вихров) – “Whirlwind”

Sverdlov (Свердлов) – “Twisting, turning”

Vodolazov (Водолазов) – “Diver”

Kornilov (Корнилов) – “Son of Kornil”

Zotov (Зотов) – “Son of Zot”

Maltsev (Мальцев) – “Son of Malets (boy, young man)”

Kovalyov (Ковалёв) – “Blacksmith”

Tikhonov (Тихонов) – “Son of Tikhon” (Quiet, peaceful)”