Origin of the surname Kalashnikov: history and etymology of the surname

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

The surname Kalashnikov is familiar to modern people primarily by the name of the famous Russian machine gun. Incidental cases are known when people who were asked the question of what the name Kalashnikov means tried to talk about the history of Russian small arms. However, the roots of this word are much deeper, and they go back to ancient Russia. In an era when firearms were still unheard of.

Surname etymology

The first question for attentive people may arise at school. At the very moment when they begin to study Mikhail Lermontov and his “Song about the Merchant Kalashnikov” in a literature lesson. But the events take place in the era of Ivan the Terrible, that is, long before the birth of the creator of the Russian automatic pistol.

The origin of the name Kalashnikov is connected with the ancient custom of giving a person a nickname that reflects the important qualities of his personality: character, appearance,unusual events they experienced. And, of course, a profession. Often the nickname of the great-grandfather became the generic name of all his descendants. So the Kuznetsovs, Goncharovs, Tkachevs appeared in our country. This is the origin of the name Kalashnikov. And it is connected with bread.

All kinds of flour products in ancient Russia were popularly called kalachs. And a kalashnik, respectively, is a person who bakes and sells such products. The standard ending -ov appeared later, when nicknames began to turn into surnames belonging to each family. "Who are you?" people asked the stranger. “Vanka, Kalashnikov’s son,” the man answered, and everyone immediately knew who he was and how to treat him. Bakers in Russia, although they belonged to the unprivileged class, have always been held in high esteem.

With a pig's snout and in the Kalash row. (Proverb)

Versions about the origin of the surname

Kalashnikovs in Russia was a lot. This surname was worn by merchants, peasants, townspeople (small urban artisans). There was also an old noble family. In this regard, a dispute arose between scientists about what is the history of the Kalashnikov surname and why representatives of such different social strata wear it. There are several versions.

The word "Kalashnik" was a professional nickname and only over time was assigned to the family as a generic nickname. That is why there are so many simple artisans among the bearers of this surname.
Some bakers managed to become merchants over time, and subsequently to get for anymerit noble title.
Serfs, according to historians, became Kalashnikovs differently. People of this class in the old days did not have the right to a surname. So the answer to the question: "Who are you?" in their mouths it usually sounded: “We are Kalashnikovs!”. Say, the lackeys of the boyar Kalashnikov. This is how they were recorded in the documents.
In 1909, gold was found on the Zeya River, and prospectors poured into those places. A settlement appeared on the shore, named after the founder, Stepan Kalashnikov. Gradually, its inhabitants, who did not have a surname (and there were quite a few of them even then among the common people), began to use the name of the village as a family name.

Unpopular points of view

Not all theories about the origin of the Kalashnikov family can be considered scientific. There are a lot of assumptions, interesting, but absurd. Nevertheless, they also have the right to exist.

For example, some linguists elevate this surname to the old Slavic word "kelesh" - "bald head". That is, Kalashnikov literally means “son of a bald man.”

But AG Prokofiev found the answer to this question in the mythology of ancient Egypt. He believed that the surname consisted of several parts: "ka" (reptile) and "lash" (bite) and was a common nickname for people worshiping the crocodile-like deity Nii'k. Thus, the Kalashnikovs may well, if they wish, consider themselves distant descendants of the ancient Egyptians.