Surname Stergin - Meaning and Origin
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Stergin: What does the surname Stergin mean?
The last name Stergin is of Slavic origin, derived from the word 'sterga', meaning 'feather' or 'plume'. It could be a toponymic surname, referring to a place where feathers or plumes were gathered, or it could have helped distinguish individuals in a group as those with some characteristic related to 'feathers'.
It is possible that the surname began as a nickname relating to birds, since 'sterga' could refer to the feathers of any kind of bird. This could have been extended to describe a dignified or important person, since feathers were credited with magical properties and indicating righteousness and strength. It could also have referred to a person's beauty or attractiveness, since the appearance of birds through feathers is a frequent metaphor.
The Stergins were recognized as popular merchants in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in the city of Kostroma on the Volga river. It is likely they received this nickname out of respect and admiration for their skill and influence in the market.
Stergin is a common surname throughout the Slavic region. Its prevalence could be attributed to its advantageous connotations. To this day, the accepting of a Slavic surname is often seen as an homage to culture and recognition of an ethnic background.
Order DNA origin analysisStergin: Where does the name Stergin come from?
The last name Stergin is most commonly found in Russia and is believed to be derived from the Slavic personal name Stepan or Stephen. According to the last name website, Forebears, the last name Stergin has over 1253 people bearing the name in current Russia, mainly located in the northwestern region of the country. The first known instances of the surname appears in the late 1600's in the regions of Tver and Novgorod.
Interestingly, the most modern instances of last name Stergin are found in the United Kingdom, mainly localized in London, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. The majority of Stergin holders in the UK are persons of Russian, Ukrainian, Greek, or Armenian descent who have recently immigrated to the UK and settled there, keeping their surname. There are also Stergins who have emigrated from Russia, to Germany, Finland, and Ukraine.
Today, the surname Stergin is not seen outside of the places mentioned above. Still, due to the high rate of international movements from Russia, there is a small chance of finding Stergins in other countries as well.
Variations of the surname Stergin
The surname Stergin has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variant is Stergien. Other spellings and variants include Sterhein, Stergine, Stergeton and Stergen.
The Stergin surname is believed to have originated from the German region of Swabia. It is a geographical family name, meaning someone who originated from the town of Stergen. The earliest known example of the name is a record dated 1226, in which a man called Otto de Stergeton was mentioned.
The surname Stergen is found in many countries, including Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Latvia and, more recently with the increased movement of people, the UK. It is usually written according to the spelling of the country. For example, in Germany the spelling is usually Stergen, while in Ukraine it is usually Stergeny. The same is true of its variants, such as Stergien in Germany or Stergine in the Ukraine.
Other spellings can also be found in different countries. In some cases the surname has changed due to the influence of language. For example, in Russia the surname Stergin may be seen written as Schtergine or Schtergin.
The Stergin surname is closely related to the surnames Stegen, Sterhein and Steger. These are all geographical names, indicating that the original holder of the surname originated from somewhere beginning with Steg or Ster. In some cases the meanings have changed slightly over time, with the addition of suffixes such as hein or geton to denote a particular place.
In summary, the surname Stergin has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. It is a geographical family name that can be found in many countries around the world. Variants, such as Stergien or Stergeton, as well as the related surnames Stegen, Sterhein and Steger, may be used in various countries.
Famous people with the name Stergin
- Igor Stergin: Russian poet and writer
- Vyacheslav Stergin: Russian poet and playwright
- Yury Stergin: Armenian Soviet film and TV actor
- Anna Stergin: Russian actress
- Oleg Stergin: Russian film director
- Serhiy Stergin: Ukrainian Olympic swimmer
- Ed Stergin: American football player
- Lena Stergin: Russian model
- Sergey Stergin: Russian military writer
- Ilya Stergin: Russian journalist