Surname Vasiliev - Meaning and Origin
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Vasiliev: What does the surname Vasiliev mean?
Vasiliev is an East Slavic surname, a patronymic derived from the male given name Vasil. The given name is derived from the Greek name Basil (meaning "king" or "royal"), ultimately derived from the Greek word basileus. While the literal translation of Vasiliev implies a connection with kings, rulers, or royalty, its true meaning is simply a son of Vasil. In Russian, the title "Vasilievich" is used to indicate a son of Vasil, in Ukrainian the title is "Vasylovych".
Historically, the name has been common among the East Slavs, including in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. It is common among other East European countries as well, such as Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia.
In American English, the spelling can vary depending on the origin of immigrants. The most common English spelling of the name is Vasiliev, although Vasilyev is also sometimes seen, and sometimes various other spellings, such as Vasilijev or Vasiliyev are used.
Today, the Vasiliev surname remains common in Eastern Europe, as well as among immigrants to other countries, as people bearing this name continue to spread around the world. As of the 1990 US Census, nearly 4,000 people with the Vasiliev surname lived in the United States, and the majority of them were of Eastern European origin.
Order DNA origin analysisVasiliev: Where does the name Vasiliev come from?
The name Vasiliev is very common in Russia and other parts of Eastern Europe, with it being cited as being the third most common surname in Russia. It can also be found as a variant in Belarus, Kazakhstan and other post-Soviet countries. It is also found in scattered regions around the world, such as in North America, where it is one of the most commonly found Russian surnames.
Vasiliev is an ancient Slavic patronymic surname, coming from the name Vasiliy, which is derived from that of the biblical Prophet Elijah, whose name in Russian is Elias. This name grew in popularity in Russia due to its association with the powerful family of Tsar Vasiliy III. As a result, it found its way into many noble families across Russia, leading to its widespread heritage in the country.
Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the name has extended its popularity even further, becoming a common name in many countries as well as the native Russia. As people spread across the globe, more and more instances of the name can be found in various countries. This is especially true in North America, where many of the countries of Eastern Europe are represented.
Overall, the name Vasiliev is a stunningly popular surname in its homeland of Russia, as well as in countries around the world that have strong ties to Eastern Europe. It is the third most popular surname in Russia and appears in various countries across the globe.
Variations of the surname Vasiliev
The surname Vasiliev is a patronymic surname which originates from the common given name Vasily. It is a Russian last name, derived from the Latin Vasilius. Common variants and spellings of the Vasiliev surname include Basil'ev, Vasilev, Vasiliyev, Vasil'ev, Vasilievich, Vasil'evich, Vasiljevic, Vasil'evskiy, and Vasiljevskiy.
Vasiliev can also be seen spelled as Vasileff, Vassileff, Vassilev, Vassiliou, Vassiljevich, Vassilkov, Vassilo, Vasyljevich, Vasyljev, Vasylyev, Wasel, Wasilewski, Wesel, and Weselowsky. There are also several other unique spellings that occur on rare occasions for the Vasiliev surname, including each of the above variations with an 's' added to the end, such as Vasilievs and Vasiliys.
The surname is also associated with a wide variety of other surnames of Russian origin, such as Bastion, Blizniuk, Bikova, Bochan, Chub, Dovgan, Dyachenko, Gogol, Hrushkov, Ihnar, Kisil, Kuznetsov, Malahov, Nesterov, Ozhegov, Pinigin, Rakhmanov, Ratnikov, Smolyakov, Solovjov, Sulima, Sysoeva, Tkachev, Ugryumov, Ustyuzhanin, Velychin, and Voronin.
For individuals of Armenian origin, surnames commonly associated with the Vasiliev surname include Abgaryan, Abgaryants, Safaryants, Tovmasyan, Varosyan, and Vassilian. For individuals of Serbian origin, Vasiljevic is a common surname associated with Vasiliev, as well as Obradovic, and Radovanovic.
Famous people with the name Vasiliev
- Anatoly Vasiliev: Russian actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, teacher and dramaturg.
- Alexander Vasiliev: Russian historian, one of the most renowned scholars of Byzantine studies, remembered especially for his History of the Byzantine Empire.
- Yekaterina Vasilieva: leading Soviet actress of theater and cinema, Laureate of the USSR State Prize.
- Yevgeny Vasiliev: Soviet journalist, combat correspondent, author of the famous propaganda phrase "We shall never surrender".
- Yevgeny Vasiliev: A popular Russian actor, theater director, and stage designer.
- Yuliya Vasilieva: Soviet actor and singer from Ufa, Russia. She is best known for her role in the film Apartment for Rent.
- Kira Vasileva: Russian singer, songwriter, musician, and television and radio presenter.
- Konstantin Vasiliev: Russian painter and teacher. He is best known as an innovative landscape painter.
- Ilya Vasiliev: Russian artistic and stage director at the Voronezh Drama Theater. He is known for his radical reimaginations of Russian classics.
- Andrei Vasiliev: Russian film director, screenwriter, producer, television presenter, entrepreneur, and public figure.