103 Ukrainian Surnames With Meanings And History

The majority of existing Ukrainian surnames were created by adding possessive and suffixes to first names.

Surnames were used initially by upper-class people, wealthy landowners, and nobles. Peasants started using surnames under the Austrian Empire, mainly for the purpose of taxation.

Lots of Ukrainian last names end in -KO, including Boiko, Sirko, Pavlychko. -KO is a diminutive ending with patronymic meaning, meaning that -KO surnames are given based on one’s ancestors, such as your father or grandfather. Ukraine has a rich history and they are a nation proud of their ancestors. Ukrainian people take pride in carrying their family ancestry forward, explaining the pride that many Ukrainians take in their surnames ending in -KO.

Other popular Ukrainian names take the -yshyn suffix (for example, Romanyshyn, Kostyshyn), the -enko suffix ( for example, Tereshchenko, Shevchenko), the -vich suffix (for example, Gorlukovich, Shushkevich), the -chak suffix (for example, Maksymchak), or the -chuk suffix (for example, Balanchuk, Polishchuk). The simplified versions of “chuk” include -yuk, -yak, or -ak (for example, Romanyuk, Mochulyak). These are normally considered to be patronymic. Hence, you will also see a lot of Ukrainian surnames ending in ‘chuk.’

Naming your characters becomes easier if you know the meaning and history of the names. We have curated a list of over 100 Ukrainian names, along with their meaning and history, just for you.

For more naming ideas, take a look at these Ukrainian names for girls, or these Slavic baby names.

The following are the most common Ukrainian family names and last names.

1. Adamovich - An ancestral name derived from “Adam.”

2. Aksamit - Derived from the Polish word Aksamit meaning “velvet.”

3. Polishchuk - This is a toponymic surname. It is associated with Polissya and Polishchuks (people who live along the Ukrainian-Belarus borderline).

4. Shevchenko - Originated from the word “shvets,” which means cobbler/shoemaker in Ukrainian.

5. Shevchenko - This name has also originated from the word “shvets,” which means cobbler/shoemaker in Ukrainian.

Here’s a list of Unique Ukrainian last names for your unique characters' surnames.

6. Adamovich - An ancestral name derived from “Adam.”

7. Aksamit - Derived from the Polish word Aksamit meaning “velvet.”

8. Antonova - Derived from the Russian word “Antonov,” a masculine surname.

9. Archaki - Derived from the Greek word “Archos,” meaning lord or the ruler.

10. Azarov - Derived from the first name Azariy.

11. Azarova - Azarov’s feminine form.

12. Barno - With an Italian origin, the word means “Son of Nabia.”

13. Barsky - A rare Ukrainian surname, it is derived from the name of a bar in Ukraine.

14. Bilyk - Means “white” in Ukrainian.

The following are ancient Ukrainian last names that you could consider for your characters' surnames.

15. Boris/Barys/Borys - Originated from the Bulgar language.

16. Borisow - Originated from the Ukrainian name “Borisov.”

17. Bortnick - Means “beekeeper.” It’s an ancient Ukrainian last name, but a popular one.

18. Borisova - It is the feminine form of the name Boris, and means Boris’s.

19. Braverman - The name is of Jewish origin.

20. Cherkasskiy - Derived from the Ukrainian word "cherkas,” meaning "Circassian".

21. Chernenko - This name is derived from the Ukrainian word “chorniy” and the Russian word “cherniy”.

22. Czermah - One of the more rare Ukrainian surnames.

23. Datsyuk - The name means “service provider.”

24. Diduch - The meaning of the name is “Spirit of Ancestors.”

25. Dovzhenko - Derived from the Ukrainian word meaning “long.”

This list of popular Ukrainian last names would be ideal for your characters from Ukraine whom you want to make a connection with your audience. Why not choose some of these as their last names?

26. Bondar - It is a profession-based Ukrainian surname, meaning barrel maker.

27. Chornovil - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Black Ox.

28. Chornyi - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Black.

29. Chumak - It is a profession-based Ukrainian surname, meaning salt-trader.

30. Dobroshtan - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Good pants.

31. Dobryivechir - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Good evening.

32. Gogol - It means “Common Goldeneye,” a type of duck, in Ukrainian.

33. Golodryga - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Nude twitch.

34. Horbanenko - Meaning “hunchback.” It is equivalent to the Russian surname “Gorbachev.”

35. Honchar - It is a profession-based Ukrainian surname, meaning potter or ceramist.

36. Ivanko - Derived from the Hebrew name “Yehochanan,” which means “graced by Yahweh, God is gracious.”

37. Kalashnik - Meaning “Kalaches maker.”

38. Kandyba - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Useless horse.

39. Kazan - Derived from the Turkish word “kazan,” meaning kettle/furnace/boiler.

40. Kishka - Means cat in Ukrainian.

41. Kolesnik - Derived from the word “kolesnik,” which means wheelwright.

42. Koroliuk - Derived from the word “Korol,” meaning king.

43. Kosmen - Jewish origin, the occupational name for glassmakers.

44. Kozak - Derived from the Turkish word “kazak,” which means free man. It is a popular surname that many Ukrainians are proud to wear.

45. Kozar - It means “goatherd.”

46. Kushnir - It is a profession-based Ukrainian surname, meaning furrier.

47. Krivoshapka - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Crooked headwear.

48. Kryvonis - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Curved nose.

49. Litvinchuk - Derived from the Russian word “litvin.” Historically, it was used to denote a Belarusian or a Lithuanian.

50. Lomachenko - Derived from the Ukrainian word “lom,” which means scrap.

51. Lyashenko - It comes from the Ukrainian word “lyakh,” which is actually a disrespectful word for pole.

52. Malasenco - Derived from “Malachi,” a Hebrew name. It is one of the common Ukrainian names.

53. Molchan - Derived from the Russian word meaning “silent.” It is used as a nickname for a soft-spoken person.

54. Mucha - Means “fly.” Originally, it was used as a nickname for very important people.

55. Navarykasha - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Boil the porridge.

56. Nemirov - Services from the Ukrainian city “Nemirov.”

57. Nimchuk - It is an ethnic surname - from Germany.

58. Netudyhata - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Wrong way house.

59. Oliynyk - It is a profession-based Ukrainian surname, meaning vegetable oil manufacturer.

60. Obbizhysvit - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Run around the world.

61. Otchenash - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Our Father.

62. Panchenko - It means “fisher.” It’s a common Ukrainian surname.

63. Perebiynis - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Break the nose.

64. Perevernykruchenko - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Turn over the cliff.

65. Podlipa - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Under a lime tree.

66. Polyakov - Derived from the ethnic name “Polak,” which means pole.

67. Ponomarenko - Derived from the Ukrainian word “paramonar,” which means sexton.

68. Poroshenko - Derived from the Ukrainian word “porokh,” meaning powder (usually gunpowder)/dust.

69. Portnoy - Derived from the Russian word “portnoj,” which is the occupational name of a tailor.

70. Ponomarenko - It is a profession-based Ukrainian surname, meaning Clergyman.

71. Pryimak - The name means “adoptee” in Ukrainian.

72. Pidiprygora - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Bolster the mountain.

73. Rachman - Of Hebrew origin, meaning “merciful.”

74. Reznikov - Derived from “reznik,” Slavic origin, an occupational name for ritual slaughterers.

75. Romanko - Derived from the Greek name Romaios and Latin name Romaeus, referring to people born in the Roman Empire.

76. Rybalka - Derived from the word “ryba,” meaning fish. The meaning of the surname is "fisherman."

77. Salogub - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Salo lips.

78. Sklorenko - It means “glassmaker’s son.”

79. Smarch - An anglicized form of various surnames, including Smarchevskaya, Smarchevsky, and Smarchkov).

80. Soroka - Derived from “Soroka,” a nickname meaning magpie.

81. Stepanovich - Derived from the ancestral name “Stepan.”

82. Stolyarchuk - It means “son of carpenter.” The name was derived from the occupation of carpenter.

83. Syzonenko - Derived from the ancestral name “Syzon.”

84. Tataryn - It is an ethnic surname - from Tartar.

85. Tarasenko - Derived from ancestral name “Taras.”

86. Tsybulenko - Derived from the Ukrainian word “tsybulya,” which means onion.

87. Urban - Derived from the Latin word “Urbanus,” meaning city dweller.

88. Urbana - It is the feminine form of Urban.

89. Valentyn - Latin origin. The meaning of the word is healthy/strong.

90. Vernydub - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Twist the oak.

91. Vengerov - Derived from the word “vorobey,” meaning “Hungarian.”

92. Volesky - Quite a popular surname of Ukrainian, as well as Belarusian origin.

93. Voloshyn - It is an ethnic surname - from Volokh. An ancient tribe from Moldova and Romania.

94. Vorobey - Derived from the Ukrainian word “vorobey,” meaning sparrow.

95. Voshkolup - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Louse scratcher.

96. Vovk - Derived from the Ukrainian word “vovk,” meaning wolf.

97. Vyrvykhvist - The meaning of this Ukrainian surname is Rip a tail.

98. Warhola - The meaning of this rare Ukrainian surname is “quarrel.”

99. Yampilskiy - Derived from “Yampil,” which were Ukrainian settlements.

100. Zalusky - Derived from the word “zalew,” meaning a flooded area or bay. The name was usually given to people living near water.

101. Zaytsev - Derived from the Russian word “zayats” and the Ukrainian word “zaets,” meaning fare.

102. Zbirak - Derived from the word Polish word “zbierac,” which means to collect or gather.

103. Zolochivskiy - Derived from “Zolochiv,” a Ukrainian city.

Kidadl has lots of great names articles to inspire you. If you liked our suggestions for Ukrainian last names names then why not take a look at these Bulgarian names, or for something different take a look at these Basque names.