Surname Borissoff - Meaning and Origin
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Borissoff: What does the surname Borissoff mean?
The surname Borissoff is of Russian origin and is derived from the name Boriss. It started off as the patronymic form, meaning "son of Boriss". Initially, it was only used within the same family, but eventually, it became a surname of sorts for other families with the same name.
The root form of the name originates from the Old East-Slavic word "bore/borys", meaning "bold/brave". Later on, the name took on a meaning of "fighting man", as well as other positive characteristics, such as "strong" and "intelligent".
Historically, the Borissoff name was much more common among people living in the Russian Empire as it spread from East to West and North to South over the centuries. Following the Revolution of 1917 when the Soviet system was established, many families bearing the last name Borissoff had to flee the country, leading to the spread of the name all over the world.
Today, the name Borissoff is still largely associated with Russia, but many of its bearers can also be found in countries throughout Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other parts of the world.
In more ways than one, the Borissoff surname is an important part of Russian heritage, giving a nod to the country's rich culture and history that continues to captivate people from all walks of life.
Order DNA origin analysisBorissoff: Where does the name Borissoff come from?
The last name Borissoff is primarily found in Eastern Europe. It’s a common surname among Russian, Bulgarian, and Ukrainian nationals. It could also be encountered in countries like Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Moldova, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The exact etymology of the name is unknown, but many believe that it originated in Belarus. It’s possible that the name is derived from the Slavic name Boriss, which means “fighter”. Some may suggest that it is a patronymic form of Boris- bodyguard.
In terms of records, the earliest mention of the Borissoff surname occurred in 1590, when a member of the family was documented in the Taurida Oblast of Russia. The family would later go on to serve as merchants and officers in the Russian military.
Today, the Borissoff surname is still prevalent in Eastern Europe. It is believed that there are over 2000 Borissoffs living in Russia alone. Additionally, there has also been a steady spread of this last name to other countries. In the United States for example, approximately 1,000 people carry the Borissoff name.
Variations of the surname Borissoff
The surname Borissoff is an ethnic surname derived from the given name Boris, which is a Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian, and Slovene masculine given name of Slavic origin. The spelling variants of Borissoff include Borisov, Borissow, Borissov, Borissoff, Borissav, Borisav, Borissof, Borisoff, and Borisovitch.
The surname Borissoff may also appear in other languages, but is most commonly seen as Borisov in Belarus, Borissow in Germany, Borissov in Russia, and Borissoff in Ukraine. It may also appear as Borisovoch in Serbia, Borissav in Croatia, Borisav in Serbia, and as Borissof in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
There may also be less common variants and spellings of the surname Borissoff, such as Borissof, Borisovitch, Borison, and Boriscav. Some of these variants have been used as orthographical modifiers to make the surname more distinctive and also to show a differentiation in lineages.
The surname Borissoff can be hyphenated in some families to denote multiple generations with the same given name, such as Borissoff-Morton or Borissoff-Ragan. Additionally, some families have adopted the surname as a patronymic, hyphenated to the original form of the surname by adding an ending such as -ovich, -ovichich, or -ovna. These surnames are known as patronyms, and may appear as Borissoff-ovich, Borissoff-ovichich, or Borissoff-ovna, respectively.
Overall, the surname Borissoff has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Its use has primarily spread around Eastern Europe, and has even been hyphenated in some cases to denote multiple generations.
Famous people with the name Borissoff
- Tyra Borissoff: Swedish makeup artist of Russian/Slovakian descent.
- Larisa Borissoff: Russian actress who appeared in both film and television productions in Russia.
- Dmitry Borissoff: Russian historian and political analyst, known for his biography of Pyotr Stolypin, the former prime minister of Imperial Russia.
- Jurij Borissoff: Member of the Russian People's Front and deputy of the seventh State Duma.
- Katja Borissoff: SPARQ participant and former singer in the Russian alternative rock band ‘Glass Rabbit'.
- Yuri Borissoff: Award-winning Russian saxophonist.
- Serge Borissoff: Russian-American multimedia artist and professor of graphic design at the University of San Francisco, and Chair of Digital Media and Design.
- Zlata Borissoff: Russian-American businesswoman, founder of ManThong Apparel.
- Alexander Borissoff: Russian-born science fiction writer and athlete.
- Vitali Borissoff: Former Russian footballer who played for multiple clubs in the country.