Contrary to popular belief, the most common Russian surname today is not Ivanov, Petrov or Sidorov at all. In fact, it is Smirnov. The history of the family name is ambiguous, since there are several theories of its occurrence. It is not known which of them is closer to the truth, but it is worth familiarizing yourself with each.
Surname Smirnov: a brief history
As a rule, it is generally accepted that the Smirnovs are meek people of a flexible nature, because it is not in vain that they got such a name from their ancestors.
However, this name was not always derived from the words "meek" and "humble." The first documentary record of a person bearing this surname dates back to the seventeenth century. Later Smirnov became more and more. So, according to the 1964 census, the name Smirnov was in fifth place in terms of prevalence. Today she is on the first.
What the name Smirnov came from: the most common version
In ancient times, the Slavs had a masculine name Smyrna. As a rule, he was given at baptism to quiet, calm boys who did not cause much trouble. Due to the fact that people with a flexible character have always been appreciated, the name of Smirnaya has become widespread. The descendants of the people so named were called Smirnov’s children or simply Smirnov’s. Since the name itself was very popular, many Smirnovs soon appeared throughout Russia.
Origin of the Jewish surname Smirnov
No matter how surprising it may seem, but among the Jews there are also many Smirnovs. The origin of the name Smirnov among representatives of the chosen people is associated with Catherine II.
During her reign, Poland was divided and some Ukrainian, Belarusian and Baltic territories joined Russia. In addition to the Slavs, a huge number of Jews lived here, who traditionally had only a name and patronymic: Shlomo, son of Ephraim, Moshe, son of Mordechai and so on.
Thinking of knowing the size of her subjects, Catherine II ordered a population census. However, confusion arose with the Jews due to the lack of family names. Therefore, officials decided to come up with the names of the Jews in the Russian manner. Most often, Jewish surnames came from the name of the place of residence, profession or the name of the ancestor, and sometimes because of some special trait of the person’s character or appearance. So there were Shifrins (name of the father), Smirins and Smirnovs (from a character trait), Rezniki (from the name of a profession).
Origin of Smirnov surname: third version
In the time of Ancient Russia, there were wandering people who traveled with their entire families across endless lands. During their travels, they had the opportunity to get acquainted with the achievements of different peoples in the fields of agriculture, livestock, construction, farming. Roaming between different tribes, such people shared their acquired knowledge with them.
Arriving on the territory of the next people, the head of the wandering clan went to the elder to ask permission to temporarily live on their lands. The beginning of the greeting of the head of the clan was the phrase: "We have come to the new world with you!" Over time, others began to call nomadic clans "Smirnov" from the words "world" and "new."
Other versions of the origin of the surname
Very often, for one reason or another, peasant families were forced to leave their native lands and permanently move to a foreign land. In memory of their homeland, they took the corresponding names. So, in the Russian Empire, as well as in neighboring countries, there were many settlements under the names of Smirnovo. The natives from there called themselves the Smirnovs.
Sometimes the origin of the name Smirnov is associated with religion. For example, in the old days, in order to receive a scholarship at the seminary, poor students were asked to change their surname to a more suitable spiritual rank for the person. That is why among the graduates of theological schools there were so many Bogolyubov, Dobronravov and Smirnov.
The most famous Smirnov
It is interesting that the name Smirnov was common among absolutely all segments of the population. The Smirnovs were both among illiterate peasants, and among wealthy merchants and educated nobles.
So, the well-known vodka brand Smirnoff appeared thanks to the serf - Peter Arsenyevich Smirnov. An enterprising man was able to buy himself before the abolition of serfdom and open his own liquor store in Moscow, which later grew into a factory that produces the best alcohol in Europe.
To date, about six noble families of the Smirnovs in the Russian Empire are known, each of which had its own coat of arms.
Among them are the clan Dorofei Afanasevich Smirnov, who received the nobility in the second half of the seventeenth century.
In Soviet times, there were also many famous Smirnovs. For example, the hero of the Great Patriotic War, Fleet Admiral Nikolai Ivanovich Smirnov.
Another hero of World War II also bore the name Smirnov, and his name was Alexei Makarovich. However, he became famous thanks to his wonderful roles in the films of Leonid Gaidai and his namesake - Bykov.
There were many in the history of Smirnov priests, pilots, diplomats and scientists. Among women with this surname are also many celebrities.
For example, actress Svetlana Stanislavovna Smirnova and her colleague by profession Lidia Nikolaevna Smirnova.
Due to the existence of many theories, it is no longer possible to accurately determine the origin of the Smirnov surname. It is most likely that all versions are more or less true, and their huge number explains why there are so many families with the surname Smirnov in Russia today. Each carrier of this surname can rightfully be proud of a huge number of famous namesakes, however, it is always worth remembering that the name of Smirnov is attached to its carrier, and not vice versa.