Surname Melnichenko - Meaning and Origin
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Melnichenko: What does the surname Melnichenko mean?
The last name Melnichenko is a patronymic Ukrainian surname which means “son of Melnyk”. Melnyk is an old Ukrainian word meaning “mill” implying ancestry connected to a mill worker or someone who managed a mill. It is a fairly common last name in Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and the Ukraine diaspora in the United States.
Historically Ukrainian surnames emerged during the 12th century, when the Kyivan Rus’, a powerful East Slavic medieval state, adopted the patronymic system of naming. The Kyivan Rus’ was a powerful political entity pose great influence on neighbouring nations, including Poland, Lithuania, and the Holy Roman Empire.
The concept of the name Melnichenko is believed to have been introduced by Grand Prince of Kyiv called Sviatoslav I of Kyev. Sviatoslav I of Kyev reigned during the late 10th century and was responsible for introducing the systematic use of patronymic surnames to Ukraine. Over the centuries, the names have spread across the region, variously spelled Melnychenko, Melnychenka, and Melnycenko.
The name is still common in Ukraine and the Ukraine diaspora from the 18th century onwards as people sought better opportunities and political freedom in foreign countries. The name is also common among other Ukrainians who were deported during the Soviet era, hence its spread all over the world.
Many notable people throughout history have borne the surname Melnichenko. For example, Anton Melnichenko a member of the 19th century Ukrainian Galician Army, Kenan Melnichenko, Georgian statesman, and Dmitry Melnichenko a fourteenth century Belarusian Grand Prince of Kyiv.
Order DNA origin analysisMelnichenko: Where does the name Melnichenko come from?
The surname Melnichenko is most commonly found in Ukraine, where it is among the top 50 common surnames. Records of the surname date back as early as the 14th century, when it was commonly found among Ukraine's nobility. In subsequent centuries, it spread to other parts of Europe, including the Russian Empire, and eventually appeared in the Americas.
In Ukraine, it is most common in central and eastern parts of the country, particularly in the regions of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Chernivtsi, and Dnipropetrovsk, as well as other parts of Donetsk Oblast.
People of the Melnichenko surname can also be found in large numbers in neighboring Russia. The surname is particularly prevalent in the cities of Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Kazan, as well as the Moscow Oblast.
The Ukraine diaspora ensures that the surname is well-represented in countries around the world. Large numbers of Melnichenkos can be found in the United States, Canada, and countries across Europe, Australia, and South America. It is also common in Israel, where many Ukrainian-born Jews have settled.
Despite its origins in Ukraine, the surname is no longer as widely found there. It is estimated that around 95% of the Ukrainians of the Melnichenko surname are of a Jewish background. This may explain the relatively small number of Melnichenkos still left in Ukraine today.
Variations of the surname Melnichenko
The surname Melnichenko has several variants and spellings, as well as multiple corresponding surnames of similar origins.
‘Melnichenko’ is the original Ukrainian spelling, however it also has alternate variants ‘Melnychenko’ and ‘Melnychyn’, the latter being the most common alternative variation. Additionally, the adoption of the Latin alphabet in Ukraine in the 1920s and ultimately the Soviet Union’s adoption of the Latin alphabet in 1933, further changed the spelling of the family name. This led to the modern spelling variants of Melnychenko, Melnychyn and Melnyk, which are all derived from the Russian transliteration of the original Ukrainian surname.
The family name is also commonly spelled Malnik, Malnichenko, Malnychenko, Malnychyn, Malnyk and Mylnik. All of these variations originated as a transliteration of the original Ukrainian and Russian spellings from the Cyrillic alphabet.
Variations of the surname from other Slavic languages speaking countries include Melnyczenko, Melnyczuk, Melnik and Melniuk. Similarly, the Romanian equivalent of the surname is Melinescu.
Finally, one may encounter the following surnames with similar origins and pronunciations to Melnichenko: Melenchenko, Melienko, Melnik, Melnikoff/Melnikov, Melin, Melline, Melnikow, Melnikoff and Mylnikoff.
Famous people with the name Melnichenko
- Sergey Melnichenko: He is a billionaire businessman. He is the founder and chairperson of Eurochem, the largest fertilizer manufacturer in Europe.
- Igor Melnichenko: Born in Ukraine, he is a Ukrainian-born Austrian composer. He composed music for numerous films, such as Devilish Love and Cover Girl.
- Viktor Melnichenko: He was a football player in Belarus, playing for Dynamo Minsk, SKA Kiev, and Belarussian National Football Team.
- Inna Melnichenko: She is a Russian-born artist and designer, best known for her ceramic art, which has been exhibited across Russia and the United States.
- Valery Melnichenko: He was a Soviet footbaler from Kyrgyzstan who had a long career, playing for Avtomobilist Karagandy, Dinamo Tashkent, and the Soviet Union national team.
- Andrey Melnichenko: He is a Russian entrepreneur and philanthropist, and is the founder and owner of the Melnichenko Foundation.
- Yury Melnichenko: He is a Soviet sports shooter, having competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics in the 50 meter Rifle Prone event.
- Dmitry Melnichenko: Ukrainian-born, he specializes in business improvement and development and is a frequent speaker at international and European trade events.
- Christina Melnichenko: She is a prominent model and fashion designer from Estonia.
- Daniel Melnichenko: He is a singer, songwriter, and actor from the Czech Republic.