Surname Nikolajew - Meaning and Origin
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Nikolajew: What does the surname Nikolajew mean?
The last name Nikolajew is a habitational name, primarily associated with a location in what is now Ukraine. It is derived from the words “Nikolaj” or ”Nikolaus”, the East Slavic form of Nicholas, meaning ”victor of the people” and ”jew”, meaning ”small valley” in Old English. Thus, the name typically refers to a small valley belonging to a victor of the people. It is not clear how this name came to be chosen by an ancestor of the family, though it was likely connected to a specific location or event associated with them.
Nikolaus was a highly popular first name in Old Russia, as well as a prominent figure in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, being one of the twelve apostles. The name may indicate descent from or other connection to a powerful ruler or local saint. Alternatively, the name could be derived from a place bearing the same name, or from an ancestor who owned or held a position of authority in the valley of Nikolaus.
The Nikolajew surname may be found in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, and Germany, and among certain East Slavic populations. It may also be spelled as Nikolajev, Nikolayev, Nikulayev, Nikulajev, Nikonajev, Nikojev, and Nikojevich, though its spelling often varies from region to region.
Order DNA origin analysisNikolajew: Where does the name Nikolajew come from?
The last name Nikolajew is of Slavic-Russian origin and is still most common in its native countries in Eastern Europe. It is particularly popular in countries such as Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia, as well as other parts of Eastern Europe including Poland and the Czech Republic.
In Russia, the name Nikolajew is derived from the personal name Nikolai. It can take the forms Nikolayev, Nikolajev, or Nikolayevich and is a patronymic name, which indicates that it was formed from a base of the father’s personal name. The name is still very popular today and has even been adopted by people of other nationalities in some places.
Outside of Eastern Europe, the name is less common but still present in many areas with sizeable immigrant populations, such as Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. It has also spread to other countries such as Australia and the United States, but is more rare. According to census data from the US, fewer than 500 people are recorded as having the surname. People with this surname may also be found in other countries, especially those with strong Russian ties, such as Israel and Kazakhstan.
Though the last name Nikolajew has been retained in many places over the years, its prevalence in Eastern Europe remains the highest. The name continues to be seen as a time-honored tradition in that part of the world and is relatively unchanged from how it was centuries ago.
Variations of the surname Nikolajew
The surname Nikolajew is a patronymic surname derived from the Slavic given name Nikolaj, itself a form of the name Nicholas. There are many variants and alternates spellings of the surname Nikolajew based on region, ethnicity, and language spellings. Some spellings of Nikolaiev or Nikolayev may be seen throughout program "Old Believers" communities.
In Ukraine and Russia, the name is often spelled Nikolayev, or Nikolayeva, while variants from other East Slavic languages might include Mykolashevich, Niklásðóttir, Nicologhi, or Nikolowski. The family names are cognates (related) to Nikolaisen in Norway, Niklasen in Denmark, Nícolas in Iceland and Klaasen in Holland.
In Polish, the surname is often spelled Nikolajewicz. In Western Europe and the United States, this name may or may not include accents and hyphens, depending on the specific family. Other spellings may include Nikolayevich, Neykolayev, Nicklaus, Nikolaou, and Nikolajuk.
The surnames that are directly related to and derived from Nikolajew, may have their own spelling, such as Nikolaievsky, Nikolayevka, or Nekolaiv.
In addition to Nikolajew, other toponyms derived from the given name Nikolaj may also be in use, including Nikolaik, Nikolos, Nikolaus, Nikolaychuk, Nikolchenko, and Nikolaishvili. In some cases, these may be surname without the "-ev" suffix.
No matter the spelling used, the surname has Slavic origins and refers to those descended from the given name Nikolaj.
Famous people with the name Nikolajew
- Nikolajew Sakharov: Soviet nuclear scientist, renowned political dissident, and human rights activist, and Nobel Peace Prize winner.
- Aleksandr Nikolajew: Soviet International Grandmaster chess player.
- Schtirlitz Nikolajew: Russian professional footballer.
- Grigorij Nikolajew: Alaskan and Canadian graphic artist of Russian origin.
- Yury Nikolajew: Soviet biathlete and Olympic gold medal winner.
- Dmitrij Nikolajew: Ukrainian singer and musician.
- Oleg Nikolajew: Russian heavyweight boxer.
- Nikolajew Dmitriev-Orenburgsky: Russian philosopher and logician.
- Victor Nikolajew: Russian professional football player.
- Dmitrij Nikolajew: Russian physicist and astronomer.