Surname Jurczenko - Meaning and Origin
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Jurczenko: What does the surname Jurczenko mean?
The surname Jurczenko is of Slavic origin, likely deriving from the personal name Jurko, which is derived from the Old Slavic name George. This name is composed of two elements: ‘jur’ and ‘ko’, which mean ‘earth’ and ‘little one’ respectively.
The name Jurczenko is most common in Eastern Europe, particularly in regions such as Poland, Latvia, and Belarus. It may have been adopted by the Jurczenko family during the Great Migration of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, in which millions of people from the former Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth moved west and north in search of greater economic and religious freedom. It is believed that the family adopted the name in order to differentiate themselves from other migrants.
The surname typically denotes a humble, earthy character, likely referring to someone who is hard-working and practical, with strong moral values and a deep appreciation of family. People with the name Jurczenko are said to be excellent problem solvers, and have the ability to step back and look at situations objectively. They are often generous and altruistic, not hesitant to lend a helping hand.
Order DNA origin analysisJurczenko: Where does the name Jurczenko come from?
The last name Jurczenko is most commonly found in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in Lithuania, Belarus, Poland, and Ukraine. It is a very rare surname in the United States, with only about 500 people across the country sharing it. The origin of the name likely comes from the Eastern Slavic word “jur” or “yur”, which refers to an old-fashioned Siberian shaman. It could also come from the Polish word “jurczyk”, meaning “small man”.
In Lithuania, Jurczenko is the 103rd most common surname, with around 200 households. That number is similar in Belarus, where there are an estimated 250 Jurczenkos. In Poland, there are only about 250 Jurczenkos practicing the Catholic faith, while in Ukraine there are an estimated 300 Jurczenkos in the southern region.
In the United States, the largest concentrations of Jurczenkos are in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, though there are only a few dozen in each state. It is also worth noting that the last name is not limited to those of Slavic descent. Due to its regular appearances in Ellis Island passenger records, it is likely that some Jurczenkos in the US were of German, Hungarian, or Czech heritage.
Variations of the surname Jurczenko
Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Jurczenko include Yurchenko, Jursenko, Yurchenko, Jurchenko, Yurtsenko, Jurszcenco, Yurasko, Yursonko, Yuruskina, Jurszko, Yuraschenco, Yurzhenko, Yurczenko, Jurczonko, Yuracko, Yurtsenka, Yurtsenko, Yurzka, Yuraschenko, Jursko, Yurschinsky, Yursitzky, Jursynsky, Yurzeksky, Yurydzynsky, Yurzenko, and Yurzin.
The common root of these surnames is a Ukrainian personal name, Yurii. Over time, the surname was adapted and changed by phonetic evolution, as well as spelling alterations due to different languages, dialects, and regional modes of speech. For instance, names like Yurchenko and Yurasko derive from a form of the root Yurii which gets adapted under the influence of the Ukrainian language, while Jursko, Jursynsky, and Jurszko result from the Russian adaption of the same root. Yursonko, Yurzka, Yurzhenko, Yurtsenko, and Yurtsenka take on forms used in Belarusian and Polish. The most distinct variant, Yurydzynsky, is used in areas of Belarus, Ukraine and Lithuania. In some cases, the same family can use multiple variations of the name in different countries.
No matter the spelling, the surname Jurczenko is part of a long and ancient tradition of names which trace their roots to a person of the same name.
Famous people with the name Jurczenko
- Xenia Jurczenko-Tiselska, a Polish-Canadian anthropologist and geographer.
- Aleksander Jurczenko, a Polish former footballer.
- Wojciech Jurczenko, a Polish author, critic, poet, and theatre director.
- Andriy Jurczenko, a Ukrainian athlete.
- Marek Jurczenko, a Polish sprint canoeist.
- Marek Jurczenko-Drabik, a Polish alpine skier.
- Jurczenko-Kurluk, a Polish musician.
- Stefan Jurczenko, a Polish cyclist.
- Jacek Jurczenko, a former Polish volleyball player.
- Training Shinji Jurczenko, a Japanese judoka.