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Ukrainian Bulgarian surnames are ancestral names of Bulgarians on the territory of modern Ukraine.
Prehistory
Bulgarians on the territory of Ukraine mainly appeared in the 19th century as a result of several large waves of migration to the territory of Bessarabia and Northern Azov region (Pryazovia) several large waves of migration to the territory of Bessarabia and the Northern Azov region. Although there are references to Bulgarians in Ukraine centuries earlier (e.g., in Chernihiv province), the overwhelming majority of Bulgarians in the territory of Ukraine appeared as a result of the 19th century resettlements.
Variants of surname origin
At the moment, most surnames of Ukrainian Bulgarians are formed from names, by adding the ending -ov, -ev.
For example:
- Hristov - from the name Hristo (son of Hristo - Hristov)
- Ganchev - from the name Gancho (son of Gancho - Ganchov or Ganchev).
- Radev - from the name Rade/Radi (son of Radi - Radev).
- Tsankov - from the name Tsanko (son of Tsanko - Tsankov).
There are also surnames formed also from the Turkish ending - oglu/oglo (means “son”)
- Kurtoglu - from the name Kurt (Kurt's son - Kurtoglu).
- Dimoglu - from the name Dimo/Dimitar (Dimo's son - Dimoglu).
- Donchoglu - from the name Doncho (son of Doncho - Donchoglu)
etc.
Separately it is worth considering a group of surnames formed from the names of professions in Turkish.
- Arabadzhi - driver (literally, a coachman);
- Zurnadzhi - one who plays the zurna (musical instrument);
- Bostandzhi - gardener.
Regarding the last group of surnames it is worth noting that such surnames are inherent not only to Bulgarians - natives of the Ottoman Empire. For example, the surname Arabadzhi can often be found among Ukrainian Greeks. Surnames with -dzhi endings are also often found among Albanians in Ukraine.
See also
Explore more about Ukrainian Bulgarian surnames
- Ukraine - Collection Catalog at MyHeritage
- Beginning Ukrainian Genealogy webinar at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
- Ukrainian Surnames of Hypothetical Bulgarian Origin
References
- Державин, Николай Севастьянович (1877-1953). Болгарские колонии в России : (Таврическая, Херсонская и Бессарабская губернии) / Н. С. Державин. - София : Държавна печатница, 1914 - . - (Сборник за народни умотворения и народопис, издава Българската акад. на науките в София ; кн. 29). Т. 1 : Материалы по славянской этнографии. - 1914. - VII, 259 с., 98 л. прил.
- БЪЛГАРИТЕ В СЕВЕРНОТО ПРИЧЕРНОМОРИЕ: https://journals.uni-vt.bg/bnbs/bul/
- Етнографічний проект "Михаил Греков": https://mikhailgrekov.com/arhivi/