70+ Popular Russian Last Names That Will Make You Want To Visit Moscow

Russian last names are common across the globe. In both eastern and western countries, Russian surnames connect families to their Soviet roots. Many of these names refer to an occupation or characteristic, while some contain elements from other languages like Greek and Hebrew.

According to the latest search data available, popular Russian last names and their meanings are searched for over 27,000 times per month. So we’ve compiled a list of some of the most popular Russian last names and their Cyrillic spellings. You’ll likely recognize a few, and now, you’ll know the meaning behind them. Pozhaluysta!

If you’re interested in the last names and meanings of other countries, check out our package on last names from around the world. See how many you recognize: Irish, French, Korean, Spanish, Mexican, Brazilian, Portuguese, Italian, and African last names, among others.

Most Common Russian Last Names

1. Ivanov

Cyrillic spelling: Иванов

Meaning: Son of Ivan (God is gracious).

2. Petrov

Cyrillic spelling: Петров

Meaning: Son of Peter (stone).

3. Sidorov

Cyrillic spelling: Сидоров

Meaning: Son of Sidor.

4. Smirnoff

Cyrillic spelling: Смирнов

Meaning: Quiet, peaceful, or gentle.

5. Volkov

Cyrillic spelling: Волков

Meaning: Wolf.

6. Fedorov

Cyrillic spelling: Фёдоров

Meaning: Son of Fedor (gift of God).

7. Popov

Cyrillic spelling: Поповv

Meaning: Son of the priest or pope.

8. Semenov

Cyrillic spelling: Семёнов

Meaning: Son of Simon (God hears).

9. Mikhailov

Cyrillic spelling: Михайлов

Meaning: Son of Mikhail (gift of God).

10. Egorov/Egorkov/Egonov

Cyrillic spelling: Егоров/Егоров/Eгонов

Meaning: Son of Egor (farmer).

11. Lenkov/Alexeev/Alekhin

Cyrillic spelling: Ленков/Алексеев/Алёхин

Meaning: Son of Alexander (mankind’s defender).

12. Vasiliev

Cyrillic spelling: Васильев

Meaning: Royal or kingly.

13. Nikolaev/Nikolayev

Cyrillic spelling: Николаев

Meaning: Nikolay’s which means victory of the people.

14. Morozov

Cyrillic spelling: Морозов

Meaning: Frost.

15. Stepanov/Stepanchikov

Cyrillic spelling: Степанов

Meaning: Son of Stefan (crown).

16. Novikov/Novikoff

Cyrillic spelling: Новиков

Meaning: From the word “novik”, which described a noble teenager in military service from the 16th to 18th centuries.

17. Kozlov

Cyrillic spelling: Козлов

Meaning: Goat.

18. Pavlov/Pavlishchev

Cyrillic spelling: Павлов

Meaning: Small.

19. Sokolov

Cyrillic spelling: Соколов

Meaning: Bird of prey.

20. Lebedev

Cyrillic spelling: Лебедев

Meaning: Swan or an occupational name for someone who delivers swans to the king’s table.

21. Kuznetsov

Cyrillic spelling: Кузнецов

Meaning: A blacksmith or metalworker.

22. Putin

Cyrillic spelling: Путин

Meaning: Someone belonging to the road.

23. Orlov

Cyrillic spelling: Oрел

Meaning: Eagle.

24. Preobrazhensky

Cyrillic spelling: Преображенский

Meaning: From the Christian feast day of the Transfiguration.

25. Nikitin

Cyrillic spelling: никитин

Meaning: Son of Nikita.

26. Golubev

Cyrillic spelling: голубь

Meaning: Dove or pigeon.

27. Pasternak

Cyrillic: Пастернак

Meaning: Parsnip.

28. Zaitsev

Cyrillic: За́йцев

Meaning: Hare.

29. Vinogradov

Cyrillic: Виноградов

Meaning: Grapes.

30. Belyaev

Cyrillic: Беляй

Meaning: White.

31. Agapov

Cyrillic: Агапов

Meaning: Love.

32. Antonov

Cyrillic: Антонов

Meaning: Son of Anton.

33. Angeloff

Cyrillic: Ангелофф

Meaning: Orthodox priest.

34. Babanin

Cyrillic: Бабанин

Meaning: Yin woman.

35. Balabanov

Cyrillic: Балабанов

Meaning: Hawk or falconer.

36. Turgenev

Cyrillic: Тургенев

Meaning: Derived from the name of a noble family in Russia.

37. Yahontov

Cyrillic: Яхонтов

Meaning: A name given to two precious stones: ruby and sapphire.

38. Abakumov

Cyrillic: Абаку́мов

Meaning: Son of Abakum or embrace.

39. Abdulov

Cyrillic: Абду́лов

Meaning: Son of Abdul (servant of God).

40. Abramov

Cyrillic: Абрамов

Meaning: Son of Abram (High Father).

41. Agafonov

Cyrillic: Агафо́нов

Meaning: Kindness or goodness.

42. Alexeyev

Cyrillic: Алексеев

Meaning: Defender in Greek.

43. Andreyev

Cyrillic: Андреев

Meaning: Son of Andrey or Andrew (manly).

44. Arsenyev

Cyrillic: Арсе́ньев

Meaning: Common last name for someone who belongs to Arsenyev, a town in Russia.

45. Belov

Cyrillic: Белов

Meaning: White.

46. Balakin

Cyrillic: Балакин

Meaning: Very talkative.

47. Balakirev

Cyrillic: Балакирев

Meaning: Ceramic workers.

48. Balandin

Cyrillic: Баландин

Meaning: A small crater on the moon.

49. Baranov

Cyrillic: Баранов

Meaning: A lamb or someone who works in lamb breeding.

50. Barinov

Cyrillic: Баринов

Meaning: Son of the boyar.

51. Belsky

Cyrillic: Бельский

Meaning: Someone who hails from the city of Bielsk.

52. Babin

Cyrillic: Бабин

Meaning: Son of an old woman; used to describe a fussy man.

53. Bocharov

Cyrillic: Бочаровин

Meaning: Someone who works with copper.

54. Borisyuk

Cyrillic: Борисюк

Meaning: Wolf or snow leopard.

55. Artyomov

Cyrillic: Артёмов

Meaning: Son of Artyom.

56. Alekseev

Cyrillic: Алексе́ев

Meaning: Son of Alexei.

57. Bortnik

Cyrillic: Бортнік

Meaning: Beekeeper.

58. Aslanov

Cyrillic: Асланов

Meaning: Son of Aslan, lion.

59. Kalashnik

Cyrillic: Калашник

Meaning: Breadmaker.

60. Galkin

Cyrillic: Галкин

Meaning: “Jackdaw.” A word used to describe a thievish or talkative person.

61. Garin

Cyrillic: гарин

Meaning: Guards or guardians.

62. Genrich

Cyrillic: Генрих

Meaning: Heinrich.

63. Gurin

Cyrillic: гурин

Meaning: A patronymic name that derives from Gury.

64. Gurkin

Cyrillic: Гуркин

Meaning: A variant for the name Yuri or Georgi.

65. Laskin

Cyrillic: Ласкин

Meaning: Favor or weasel.

66. Levin

Cyrillic: Левин

Meaning: Lion.

67. Levitsky

Cyrillic: Левицкий

Meaning: “Joined to.”

68. Lipovsky

Cyrillic: Липовский

Meaning: Lime tree.

69. Litvin

Cyrillic: Литвин

Meaning: A Slavic word for residents of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

70. Lopatin

Cyrillic: Лопатин

Meaning: Shovel.

71. Lukin

Cyrillic: Лукин

Meaning: A patronymic word for the name Luká.

72. Abashidze

Cyrillic spelling: Абашидзе

Meaning: Derived from the medieval Georgian noble house of Liparitid-Orbeliani. The name also comes from Abash, an Abyssinian officer.

73. Aminoff

Cyrillic spelling: Аминофф

Meaning: Russian bayors.

Russian Sayings

1. Without effort, you won’t even pull a fish out of a pond.
2. It may be crowded, but everyone is happy.
3. Love is cruel; you could fall for a goat.
4. If you’re scared of wolves, don’t go in the woods.
5. If you like to sled, you have to like to drag the sled.
6. Don’t go to another monastery with your own rules.
7. Work’s not a wolf — it won’t run into the woods.
8. In a quiet lagoon, devils dwell.
9. You can’t avoid that which is meant to happen.
10. The eyes are afraid, but the hands are still doing it.