A study of the history of the origin of the generic name allows you to open the forgotten, but interesting, pages of the culture and traditions of our ancestors. Surnames can tell us a lot of amazing information about the past of our families. But it should be noted that it is very difficult to establish the exact place and time of the occurrence of a given family name these days, since the process of their formation lasted several centuries. The history of each of them is unique, unique and amazing. The article will discuss the origin of the surname Chistyakov, its riddles, meaning and history.
Genesis Name Hypotheses
The surname is formed in a common way - from a personal nickname, that is, according to the first hypothesis of the origin of the surname Chistyakov, it came from the nickname "Chistyak", which meant "clean", "unstained," "uncontaminated." In different dialects, this naming had various meanings:
- "Tidy", "clean man";
- "Smart", "dandy";
- "Fastidious", "finicky."
It follows that the meaning of the surname Chistyakov depends on the ancestor of the clan who possessed one or another quality.
It is possible that this generic name may be associated with the Ukrainian word "chistyak", which they called corn. It can be assumed that the distant ancestor of the genus was engaged in the cultivation of this representative of the cereal family.
In addition, a grassy plant with yellow flowers was called "clean" in Little Russia. Perhaps the ancestor was a healer, treated people with decoctions, and received the nickname "Chistyak" among the villagers.
History of the name Chistyakov
Around the XV-XVI centuries. in aristocratic circles of the population, generic names began to be fixed and passed on from generation to generation. As a rule, these were possessive adjectives with the suffixes “–ev”, “–in”, “–ov”, which indicated the name of the father or grandfather.
The bulk of the population, from the lower social classes, for a long time remained without clan names. In 1632, the Kiev Metropolitan Petro Tomb instructed all priests to keep metrics on the married, born and dead.
However, the mass distribution of surnames occurred after the abolition of serfdom, when the authorities faced the task of giving family names to all former serfs. So, in 1888, the Senate issued a decree according to which all, without exception, must acquire surnames.
Most likely, many former serfs took the last name of their master or the name of the estate where they lived. Thus, the name Chistyakov got its distribution.
What does the name Chistyakov mean?
Linguists highlighted some features that are associated with this generic name and its meaning, here are some of them:
- In the frequency list of Russian generic names compiled by Unbegauna B.O., Chistyakov takes only 73 out of 100 places.
- The word “chistyak”, meaning “clean, tidy,” is practically not used at present, although in ancient times it was widespread.
- The family name is most often found in the Volga region, where the meaning of "smart".
- It is possible that the origin of the surname Chistyakov is associated with a nickname by adding a patronymic suffix. Most Russian nicknames with suffixes “–yak” and “–ak” in the Slavic environment characterized physical characteristics, mental or moral qualities, and features of appearance. Therefore, Chistyak could be nicknamed as a clean man, and a sissy or fussy.
- It is possible that the family name was transformed from Chestyakov, which came from the word "honor". In the Old Slavonic language, “pure” meant “transparent, pure, bright”, and “honor” - “glory, honor, true, advantage”.
Instead of a conclusion
The history of the origin of the surname Chistyakov is an interesting monument of Slavic culture and writing. The generic name refers to rare and unique names that have retained their original meaning and meaning.
In historical documents, people with this surname belonged to the high society of the Kiev boyars of the XV-XVI centuries. Initially, the first mention of this generic name can be found in the census book of Ancient Russia. During the reign of Ivan the Terrible, there was a list of beautiful, melodic and harmonious surnames who complained to the boyars especially close to the throne for significant merits. Thus, the surname Chistyakov is exceptional in historical kind.