Surname Wasiljew - Meaning and Origin
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Wasiljew: What does the surname Wasiljew mean?
The last name Wasiljew is of Russian origin. It is related to the given name "Wasil" which was a popular name among Medieval Russian Christians during the time the last name became popular. It is derived from the words "bazyl" or "basileios" which mean "king".
Today, there are a number of variations of the Wasiljew surname, including Vasilev, Vasiliev, Vasilenko, and Vasiljev. The most common spelling of the surname is Wasiljew.
The Wasiljew surname is associated with wealth, power, and success. This is likely because kings and nobles often had the Wasiljew name and it is seen as a sign of nobility.
Throughout history, many members of the Wasiljew family have been famous, including the Russian generals Alexander Wasiljew and Georg Wasiljew, and the Russian state officials, Yakov Wasiljew and Pavle Wasiljew.
In modern Russia, a number of people with the Wasiljew surname continue to be prominent in government, business, and culture. While the Wasiljew name may no longer hold the same power it once did, it is still associated with heroism and success.
Order DNA origin analysisWasiljew: Where does the name Wasiljew come from?
The last name Wasiljew is most common today in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. This name is derived from the Slavic root ‘vasil’, meaning ‘kingly’, ‘great’ or ‘imperial.’
In Russia, the name is present in all of its regions and republics, including Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Tatarstan, and Buryatia. It is also one of the most common names in some of the former Soviet Republics, like Estonia and Lithuania. The name is also quite common in other countries of Eastern Europe, especially Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In western Europe, the name is much less common, although it can be found among people who have a family background from the countries mentioned above. For example, some of the Wasiljew families in Germany originated from Poland.
In North America, the name is still very rare. However, there is a significant number of Wasiljew families in Canada, mostly related to Ukrainian and Belarusian immigrants who settled in Canada since the 19th century. There are also a small number of Wasiljew families in the United States. Usually, they are descendents of European immigrants who migrated to America in the early 20th century.
Overall, the name Wasiljew is much more common in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Republics than in other parts of the world. Its roots can be traced back to ancient Slavic culture.
Variations of the surname Wasiljew
The spelled variants of Wasiljew include Wasiljev, Vasiljev, Vasiljew, Vasiljeva, Vasiljevic, Vasiljevich, Wasiljevich, and Wasiljev.
Wasiljew is a patronymic surname, referring directly to a male ancestor of the same Wasil name. This surname originates from the Slavic personal name "Wasyl", which is a cognate of the Greek name "Basilio" and ultimately derives from the Greek word meaning "kingly".
The surname Vasiljev, one of the variants of Wasiljew, is another common spelling of the same origin. This surname originates from the attributes of the Basileios, which is derived from the ancient Greek words meaning “kingly” or “royal”. Similarly, Wasiljevic is a patronymic variant of Wasiljew.
Variants of Wasiljew also include Vasiljeva, which is a matronymic variant of Wasiljew. Furthermore, Vasiljevich, Wasiljevich, and Vasiljevich are also derived from the same origin. These three surnames all originate from the personal name Wasyl, with the suffixes “vich”, “vshch” or “vitch”, meaning son of or descendant of Wasyl.
The majority of these surnames can be found in Slavic countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltic countries that have been influenced or colonised by the Russian Empire.
Famous people with the name Wasiljew
- Aleksandr Wasiljew: a Russian bobsleigh racer who competed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He won gold medals in the four-man event at two Winter Olympics and two World Championships.
- Waleria Wasiljew: a Soviet fencer who won bronze medal in the 1956 Summer Olympics in the women's foil team event.
- Mikołaj Wasiljew: a Polish-born American film producer and director. He was notable for producing and directing numerous adventure films in the 1930s and 1940s.
- Mikalaj Wasiljow: a Belarusian biathlete who won gold in the men's relay at the 1998 Winter Olympics.
- Fiodar Wasiljew: a Belarusian freestyle wrestler. He won the silver medal in the men's freestyle 86 kg at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
- Leonid Wasiljew: a Soviet ice hockey player who competed in the 1956 Winter Olympics. He won a bronze medal in the men's ice hockey event.
- Roman Wasiljew: a Russian actor who featured in various television roles throughout the 1990s and 2000s.
- Malik Wasiljew: an American professional football player who currently plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- Nicholaj Wasiljew: a Ukrainian-born film producer and director. In 2009 he directed the documentary film "Kuklos".
- Vladimir Wasiljew: a Russian ice hockey player who currently plays in the Kontinental Hockey League.