Surname Smirnova - Meaning and Origin
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Smirnova: What does the surname Smirnova mean?
The last name Smirnova is a Russian surname thought to have originated with the early Slavic and Addonic languages of the region. In some cases, it could have been derived from the Eva Smirnovna, a combination of two words, “Smirnaya” which means meek or humble and “ova” which signifies daughter. Some variants of this name include: Smirno, Smirnov, Smirnovska, Smirneva, Smirnoff, and Smirnikova.
In Russia, the last name Smirnova is quite common. It is associated with the wealthy and powerful Smirnoff family of Moscow, many of whom owned various factories in the city. During Imperial days, many Smirnovs had ties with the court. One of the earliest ancestors of the family is believed to be Prince Dimitry Smirnoff, who served as secretary to Tsar Nicholas I at the turn of the 19th century.
The Smirnovs were known as merchants and blacksmiths alongside being farmers, and most who emigrated to America eventually adapted the anglicized spelling of Smirnoff in the late 19th century. By the 1920s, the leading business of the Smirnovs was the renowned Smirnoff Vodka Company.
Today, the Smirnoff name is still associated with quality vodka, and approximately 1 in every 40 people in Russia still bear the family name. Furthermore, this last name is often seen in the literature and media, with references from authors such as Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekhov.
Order DNA origin analysisSmirnova: Where does the name Smirnova come from?
The last name Smirnova is most commonly found in Russia today. It is derived from Slavic word smirnyi which means "quiet, peaceful". It is a very popular surname among Slavic peoples of Eastern Europe and is most commonly found in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Latvia, and Lithuania. Since modern Russia is composed of individuals from many different ethnicities, this surname has been adopted by many ethnic groups in the country.
The Smirnovs make up about 1.2 million of the Russian population, making them one of the country's most numerous surname. The term is written in Cyrillic as "Смирнов" and is composed of the word "Smirnyi" and the suffix "-ov" which in Slavic languages denotes a patronymic surname, i.e. a surnname that is derived from a parent's first name. It has a sense of patriotism and belonging to the Russian nation.
Even outside of Russia, the Smirnov surname has become quite widespread. It has been adopted by individuals of other ethnic backgrounds, particularly from Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, and Moldova. This surname can also be found in other parts of the world, particularly in former Soviet Bloc nations of Eastern Europe, as well as the United States, Canada, and Israel.
Variations of the surname Smirnova
Smirnova is a Russian surname that has several variants and spellings. These include: Смирнова (Smirnova); Смирнов (Smirnov); Smirnoff; Smirnow; and Smirnowski.
The Смирнова and Смирнов versions of the surname transliterate directly to Smirnova and Smirnov, and are the most common Russian spellings. Smirnoff is the anglicized version of Смирнова and is the most widely recognized spelling in the Western world. Smirnow and Smirnowski are less common variants of the surname.
While all of the variants are derived from the same root word, Smirn-, the addition of the -off or -ow suffixes have a specific meaning. The -off suffix denotes a person belonging to a particular family, whereas the -ow suffix implies an origin in a particular region or place.
The surname can be traced to a single noble family in Russia, whose aristocratic lineage dates back to the 15th century. The family had a long military history and several members served in the Russian army. It is believed that the name may be derived from the Russian verb смириться (smirit’sja) meaning “to be patient” or “to submit”, suggesting that the founding family had a tendency to be peaceful and obedient.
Today, the Smirnova surname is carried by many people in Russia and other countries around the world, including the United States, Canada and Australia.
Famous people with the name Smirnova
- Oxana Smirnova: Russian figure skater
- Lyudmila Smirnova: Honoured Artist of Uzbek SSR
- Yuliya Smirnova: Russian actress
- Olga Smirnova: Russian ballet dancer
- Anna Smirnova: Russian-Ukrainian opera singer
- Valeriya Smirnova: Russian ornithologist
- Tatyana Smirnova: Ukrainian politician
- Elena Smirnova: Russian cellist
- Anastasiya Smirnova: Russian handball player
- Ekaterina Smirnova: Russian diver
- Anna Smirnova: Russian chess player
- Tatiana Smirnova: Russian illustrator and author
- Karina Smirnova: Russian hacker and information security specialist
- Nataliya Smirnova: Russian journalist and television presenter
- Alexandra Smirnova: Russian Animation Director
- Darya Smirnova: Russian actress
- Olga Smirnova: Russian actress
- Galina Smirnova: Russian swimmer
- Irina Smirnova: Russian TV anchor
- Marina Smirnova: Russian long-distance runner