Surname Wasiliew - Meaning and Origin
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Wasiliew: What does the surname Wasiliew mean?
The last name Wasiliew is derived from a Slavic word meaning 'son of Wasyl', a form of the name Basil. It is believed to have originated from Ukraine, Poland, and Belarus.
The surname Wasiliew is a toponymic name, which means it is derived from the name of the village of Wasiliew. The village was most likely named after a local saint or dignitary and the villagers decided to take his name as an honorary surname.
The original name 'Wasyl' or 'Vasyl' is derived from the Greek word 'basileus', meaning 'king' or 'leader', making Wasiliew a noble surname.
Common variations of Wasiliew include Wasylo, Wasylak, Wasylski, Wasylovych, Wasyliw and Wasylow.
As the name has its roots in Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus, it is now largely found in those countries. However, Wasiliew is also found in other Eastern European countries like Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia. The surname is not very common in the United States but does appear in some places.
Overall, the surname Wasiliew represents nobility, respect, and leadership. It is the perfect way to honor and commemorate the village and its people, and their brave leader who gave them the name.
Order DNA origin analysisWasiliew: Where does the name Wasiliew come from?
The last name Wasiliew is most commonly found today among people originating from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. Historically, the name Wasiliew is derived from a Slavic given name meaning “royal one” and was commonly found among boyars (land-owning nobility) in what is now Poland and Western Russia.
Wasiliew can also be found among the descendants of emigres from the Russian Empire and the USSR who scattered throughout Eastern Europe, Central Europe, and even America in both the 19th and 20th centuries. The largest concentration of people with the Wasiliew surname in the US can be found in Minnesota, where the historic immigrant wave of the early 20th century created a sizable Russian community.
A large number of Wasiliews can still be found in their ancestral homeland in Eastern Europe today, most notably in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. In Russia, the surname is heavily concentrated in the three regions of Pskov, Smolensk, and Novgorod. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, the surname is spread out among the population, but the highest concentrations can be found in Ternopil, Donetsk, and Lviv. Finally, in Belarus the surname can be found mainly in the Minsk region.
Variations of the surname Wasiliew
Wasiliew (also spelled Wasyliw, Wasilew, Wasyljev, Wasiljev, Wasiljoff and Wasyljew) is a surname of patronymic origin which means 'son of Wasyli'. It is derived from the old Slavic name Wasyli, which means royal; the Polish variant of the name is Wasyl.
Wasiliew can also be spelled Wasiljev, a Russian variant of the name, while Wasyliw is the Ukrainian spelling with a slightly different pronunciation. Wasyljev is often seen as an alternative spelling, being a combination of Wasyl and -jev, the Slavic suffix for son of.
Surnames derived from Wasiliew can include Wasyliwsky or Wasylowsky, Wasyljevitch, Wasyljewicz, Wasilewski, Wasyljewski, Wasiljew, Wasylwaki and Wasilkow.
Wasiliew is the surname of many notable figures, including Russian soccer star, Aleksandr Wasiliew, Cossack leader, Grigori Wasiliew, 19th century theologian, Ivan Wasilew and the first Filipino bishop of the Catholic Church, Miguel Wasyliw.
Famous people with the name Wasiliew
- Jan Wasilieł (Russian Master of Sports in Greco-Roman Wrestling)
- Józef Wasieliew ( Polish boxer and Olympic silver medalist)
- Piotr Wasiliew (Soviet football player)
- Filip Wasilewski (Polish footballer)
- Wojtek Wasilewski (Polish actor, director, musician, and journalist)
- Konstanty Wasilewicz (Soviet and Russian military pilot)
- Mariusz Wasiliew (Polish basketball player)
- Andrzej Wasilewski (Polish ice hockey player)
- Władysław Wasilewski (Polish politician and diplomat)
- Mieczysław Wasilewski (Polish lecturer and politician)
- Bernard Wasilewski (Polish poet, writer and journalist)
- Robert Wasilewski (American film editor and producer)
- Wojciech Wasilewski (Polish Catholic priest and historian)
- Jenifer Wasiliew (American actress, musician, and yoga instructor)
- Józef Wasilewski (Polish aviator, test pilot, and aeronautical engineer)
- Magdalena Wasilewska (Polish politician)
- Adam Wasilewicz (Polish politician)
- Wojciech Wasiliew (Polish bobsledder and Olympic athlete)
- Olga Wasiliewa (Soviet long-distance runner)
- Constantin Wasilewitsch (Russian actor)