Surname Kolesnicenko - Meaning and Origin
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Kolesnicenko: What does the surname Kolesnicenko mean?
The last name Kolesnicenko is of Ukrainian origin, and the Ukrainian translation of the word literally means “coal merchant”. It is believed that in the days when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, this was a relatively common name for families that were involved in the coal trade. As such, it is likely that those who carry the name have ancestors that were once traders of coal.
The patronymic form of Kolesnicenko is Kolesnichenko, meaning “son or daughter of the coal merchant”. This form of the name is still very common in Ukraine, as it is often used as a middle name.
The coat of arms of the Kolesnicenko family is a black shield featuring a black, griffin-like creature with wings stretching out from both sides of the creature. Along with this, there are three Onuchin diamonds, each with three diamonds and a fifth diamond in the center, which is believed to be linked to the coal merchant heritage of the family.
The meaning of the last name Kolesnicenko is directly tied to its origin as a coal merchant. It is a symbol of history, culture, and tradition, but it can also serve as a reminder of the determination and hard work of the family’s ancestors in their coal-trading business.
Order DNA origin analysisKolesnicenko: Where does the name Kolesnicenko come from?
The last name Kolesnicenko is most commonly found in countries that were part of the former Soviet Union, especially Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. Given its origin as a Slavic name, it is also common in other Eastern European countries such as Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, and Poland.
According to surname distribution maps provided by websites such as Forebears, Kolesnicenko is one of the most common last names in Ukraine, with approximately 34,137 people bearing the name in 2020. The statistics for Belarus recorded around 12,259 people with the surname. Information on the surname is less readily available for Russia, however, records did show that Russia was the third most popular country for the name, albeit on a significantly smaller scale compared to Ukraine and Belarus.
In terms of more scattered locations, Kolesnicenko can also be found in the United States, Canada, and Germany, amongst other countries. US and Canadian residents with the last name Kolesnicenko are most likely of Ukrainian or Russian descent; whereas in Germany, those with the last name are likely of Bulgarian, Croatian, or Slovenian descent.
Overall, Kolesnicenko is most commonly found in countries located in Eastern Europe, particularly Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. It also has a bit of a presence in the United States, Canada, and Germany.
Variations of the surname Kolesnicenko
The surname Kolesnicenko is believed to have originated from the Russian word "Kolesnik," which means "one possessing large fields." The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 17th century when it was found in the Volyn region of western Ukraine.
The variants, spellings and surnames of Kolesnicenko include Kolesnikov, Kolesnicova, Kolesnikovs, Kolesnikova, Kolesnychenko, Kolesnyuk, Kolesiuk, Kolosnik, Kolosnyk, Kolisnychenko, Kolisnyk, Kolisnik, Kollosnyk, Koljasnyk, and Kolosnychenko.
The variation of the spelling might be due to the phonetic style of Slavic languages which often form different spellings based upon the spoken variation of the word in different regions. The name Kolesnicenko is found amongst of the multitude of Slavic surnames, derived mainly from patronymics, which were composed of a persons given name plus a suffix –enko or –ov.
In Russia, the surnames Kolesnicenko and Kolesnicova are common variants of the original spelling. In Ukraine, Kolesnychenko and Kolesnyuk are some of the most commonly used spellings. In Belarus, Kolisnychenko and Kolisnyk are the more popular variations.
Throughout the years and depending on where the family settled, the spelling of the surname Kolesnicenko changed from one region to another. Thus, many spelling and surname variations exist for this single surname.
Famous people with the name Kolesnicenko
- Yury Kolesnichenko: Former Ukrainian politician and former Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine.
- Aleksei Kolesnicenko: Retired Soviet Greco-Roman wrestler who won two gold medals in the Olympics.
- Liudmyla Kolesnicenko: Ukrainian politician, MP in Parliament of Ukraine, and leader of the party All-Ukrainian Labour Party.
- Boris Kolesnicenko: Ukrainian diplomat who was Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
- Viktoriya Kolesnicenko: Ukrainian figure skater who competed in the 2018 Olympics.
- Mihail Kolesnicenko: Moldovan politician who was the Minister of Regional Development and Construction of Moldova from 2009 to 2010.
- Yelena Kolesnicenko: Kazakhstani-born tennis player who played on the national team in 2016.
- Vladlen Kolesnicenko: Belarusian journalist and film maker who founded a popular culture magazine called Bilderburg.
- Boris Kolesnicenko: Retired Soviet footballer who represented the Soviet Union in the 1980 Summer Olympics.
- Taras Kolesnicenko: Ukrainian artist known for his large-scale sculptures and public art projects.