Ossetian surnames are distinguished by a long and difficult process of formation. Sources testifying to him are very limited. The origin of Ossetian surnames has long been of interest to prominent scientists of the world. To study the features of the formation of Ossetian surnames, the study of ethnographic, folklore and linguistic materials is of great importance.
The well-known Ossetian historians, ethnographers, linguists, folklorists devote their articles to the problem of studying the history of Ossetian surnames.
Distortion
There is evidence that during the tragic events in South Ossetia in the early 90s, Ossetians who remained in Georgia were forced to change their surnames. As a result, many Ossetian surnames today are so distorted in Georgian nomenclature that their original form is difficult to restore.
The origins of deformation of Ossetian surnames
Many historical documents, as well as inscriptions on gravestonestestify that due to the circumstances in South Ossetia before the revolution, Ossetian surnames were written with Georgian endings. Often they are deformed beyond recognition. It was in the order of things for the employees of the Georgian diocese.
Testimony of historians
According to historians, one of the reasons for the justification of the Ossetians in the flat territory of Georgia was the Christian religion. The written monuments emphasize that the residence of such a Christian Ossetian among the Georgian population is natural and desirable, because, since he is a Christian, he is no longer an Ossetian, he should be considered a Georgian.
Assimilation
Ossetian surnames turned into Georgian as a result of the desire of Georgian clerical officials to accelerate the assimilation of the Ossetian population. An important reason for changing surnames was the desire of some Ossetians to be written under Georgian. They probably thought it would give them certain privileges.
About the Russian spelling of Ossetian surnames
Our article provides popular Ossetian surnames. An alphabetical listing will give a complete picture of their richness and diversity.
Traditionally relevant is the question of their transfer in Russian letters. Users ask: how exactly are Ossetian surnames transmitted in Russian records? A list of them with Russian correspondences for all Ossetians who wish to write their surname in Russian, in the light of modern access to extensive information from many sources, will not belabor.
Specialists note that in the course of transferring proper names from one language to another, phonetic changes are inevitable. Ossetian surnames are most similar to the original ones, rewritten in Russian with endings - you / ti. The most famous example is the surname of the President of South Ossetia - Kokoity. There is an old tradition: in the texts, Ossetian surnames are given Russian family endings -ov/ev.
Ossetian surnames: list
The index of Russian correspondences of Ossetian surnames demonstrates the advantages of this tradition:
- variability by cases (forms in -ti/you do not decline, which is inconvenient in Russian, which has six cases);
- characteristic ending makes recognizable Ossetian surnames.
Alphabetically, a short list of them is given below. It contains some of the most common surnames:
- Alborovs.
- Bedoevs.
- Bekuzarovs.
- Bekurovs.
- Butaevs.
- Gagievs.
- Dzutsevy.
- Dudarovs.
- Kantemirovs.
- Mamievs.
- Plievs.
- Tedeevs.
- Fidarovs.
- Khugaevs.
This is how Ossetian surnames look in Russian notation. The alphabetical list is not presented completely, but fragmentarily, as a sample.
Self-identification
Recently, South Ossetia has increased its influence on its northern neighbor in the matter of self-identification. It is unlikely that the North Ossetians themselves would have taken such a step as writing their own surnames in their native language. They thought about it under pressure from outsidesouth.
“The names of Ossetians are distorted beyond recognition! Their endings are not characteristic of either the language or the culture of the people!” - the Ossetian politician Mira Tskhovrebova, the author of bills on issues of self-identification, sounded the alarm back in 2010. “We want to get back on our feet! We care about our prosperity!” she called.
Source to recreate history
The main source for recreating historical events are folk tales, which are associated with individual Ossetian names and surnames. As you know, family traditions have been passed down from generation to generation for centuries. With their help, you can learn about a lot: about the migrations of the people, the features of the formation of ethnic groups, resettlement, discover new things in the ethnic and cultural ties of Ossetians with other Caucasian peoples. They can also help in restoring the picture of family ties of Ossetian surnames. With the help of legends, it is possible to restore the genealogy to the sixth, or even to the tenth generation.
What are the legends about?
According to legend, during the period of the Ovian kingdom on the territory of present-day Ossetia, there were surnames of the most ancient Ossetian clans. The most famous of them were: Sidamon, Tsarazrn, Kusagon, Aguzon and Tsakhilon. It is known that representatives of these genera emphasized the great importance of their own origin. This is reflected in many written monuments.
The name of the ancestor of the Sidamonov family is traced to the ancient Iranian name Spitaman. The family name Cusagon comes from the word "chalice". According to the legend, the fatherthe ancestor of this surname was left a precious cup as a legacy, hence the name - Kusag.
The time of occurrence of this type of genealogy - before the start of the Tatar-Mongol invasion. On the territory of the North Caucasus in those days, the Alanian association was distinguished by the greatest political power. Traditions attribute the surnames of noble Ossetians to origin from Roman and Byzantine emperors.
Estate privilege
Fixation of Ossetian surnames dates back to the 10th-12th centuries. In the second half of the 17th century, the general use of surnames by the feudal lords of Tagauria and Digoria began. For a long time they were the privilege of the upper classes. The ruling circles opposed their spread among the lower classes. At first, the surnames took root among the Badelats and Aldars (second half of the 17th - early 18th centuries). Later, they took root among the Uazdanlags of Wallajir and Kurtat. The peasants received surnames from the Caucasian administration in the first half of the 19th century.
What is an Ossetian surname?
For many Eastern peoples, even today, the surname is not inherited. It changes according to the father's name.
Ossetian surnames have the following structure: "myggag" (Ossetian surname) is a kindred group consisting of patronymics (one or more) - "fidy-firt", originating from a common ancestor. The Russian surname corresponds to the Ossetian "myggag".
History of the Ossetian family: fidy-firt
In the distant past, Ossetians lived inseparably in large families. Brothers with wives and children and parents lived in one family. Each family was named after its head. In rare cases, the family was called by the name of the hostess. This was possible with the early loss of her husband and with the great authority of the hostess.
Over time, large families grew. Some of their members strove for separation and independent housekeeping, which led to the breakup of families. Usually separated families settled close to each other. But they also shared over time.
Fidy-firt (“children of the same father”) – this was the name of a group of blood relatives, which was formed from the division of the original family. Its members were given the name of the father - the head of a large family from which she separated.
Myggag
Myggag (surname) is a larger consanguineous group, which includes fidy-firt.
If the number of fidy-firt included in the myggag was small, they settled close to each other, all its members retained the name of this myggag. But it happened that a certain part received a new name. Such cases include blood feuds.
According to custom, the bloodline had no right to live in the same place. Hiding from persecution, he moved somewhere, changing his last name. His family took his name, and his offspring eventually inherited it.
Each family remembered their former surname and passed on the memory of it from generation to generation. Related surnames did not forget about their common origin, marriages between them were prohibited.
On the origin of the Dzakhoev family name
Researchers draw information about the origin of a particular Ossetian surname from various sources. These may be the memories of old-timers, archival data, etc. For example, Ossetian surnames starting with the letter “d” are quite numerous. One of the most famous is the Dzakhoevs. What is the origin of the surname?
The surname Dzakhoevs came from the name of the ancestor - Dzakho, who was born and lived in the village of Dalagkau (Kurtatinskoe Gorge).
He was a fifth generation descendant of Kurt. As the old-timers recall, Dzakho had a large family. His sons hunted, engaged in cattle breeding, his daughters ran the household.
Due to lack of land, the eldest sons of Dzakho settled in what is now South Ossetia. They called their new settlement "Kzhsagdzhynkom" because the nearest mountain river was rich in fish. The sons of Dzakho built a house, uprooted the forest, developed the land.
Suddenly, one brother died. The second married a local girl and created a large family. His descendants eventually formed the village of Dzakhoevs.
All Dzakhoevs, residents of South Ossetia, come from this village. They are all descendants of Dzakho's son. None of them currently live in the village of Dzakhoevs. Some went to North Ossetia, others to Tskhinvali.
Gisha is the oldest of the family. He lives in the village of Tarskoe (North Ossetia).
Dzakho with one of his sons lived in the village of Dalagkau (Kurtatinsky gorge). The rest of the sonsfamilies settled in the village of Kartsa.
The old-timers recalled that all the sons of Dzaho were distinguished by courage, honesty, hard work, and were good hunters. They dared to get bears directly from their dens, overcame both wounded and angry animals. Thanks to diligence, the descendants of Dzaho always lived prosperously, not knowing the need. The family grew and matured. But trouble did not pass them by. At the beginning of the 10th century, a raging plague claimed almost the entire family name. According to the archives, only three Dzhakhoev families survived the epidemic.
In the 21st century, the surname Dzakhoevs has 78 families. They live in different cities: Vladikavkaz, Beslan, Alagir, Tskhinval, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Volgograd, etc.
On the origin of the Gabaraev family name
Thanks to access to extensive information, it is easy to find out what history Ossetian surnames have with the letter "a", "b", "d" or any other. Scientists have studied the information about them contained in the archives, systematized the testimonies of old-timers. Ossetian surnames starting with "g" have also been studied. The Gabaraevs, Gagloevs, Gatsievs, Galavanovs are by no means a complete list. Ossetian surnames starting with the letter "g" are quite numerous. What is the origin of the last name, for example, the Gabaraevs?
Sources indicate that in the middle reaches of the Bolshaya Liakhva River (Dzauska Valley) there was a large civil community. Its central village was called Dzau. Neighbors who lived nearby united around the community. Dozens of villages began to enter the large Dzau society: Zalda, Gufta, Orteu, Styrfaz,Goodis, Jer, Wanel, Sokhta, Aphids, Tson, Cola. The Dzau families of the Bekoevs, Bestaevs, Gabaraevs, Gagloevs, Dzhioevs, Kabisovs, Kochievs, Kulumbekovs, Margievs, Parastaevs, Kharebovs, Tskhurbaevs, Chochievs were considered the most numerous and influential. Among them, the surname of the Gabaraevs (originally from the village of Zaldy) was one of the most influential.
Anthroponymy: the history of names
Beautiful Ossetian surnames are fraught with an ancient and very interesting history. Scientists believe that the names of Ossetians are older than their surnames and are the basis for the creation of the latter. Many common Ossetian names are of Greek, Latin, Persian, Byzantine, Arabic, Mongolian, Russian, Georgian, Turkic origin.
The abundance of Turkic names in Ossetian anthroponymy is considered the result of living in the neighborhood of Alania in the Middle Ages by such powerful Turkic peoples as the Polovtsy, Volga Bulgarians, Khazars.
In the North Caucasus, Ossetians coexisted with Karachays, Balkars, Kumyks, Nogais. Close cultural and economic ties were established between the peoples. They are evidenced by the words borrowed by the peoples from each other, which include their own names.
The studies give many examples of such borrowings: Sophia (in Greek "mind"), Wardi (in Georgian "flower"), Peter (in Greek "stone"), Chermen (in Tatar “palace”, etc.), Amyrkhan, Aslanbek (they contain Tatar titles: khan, bek), etc.
Origin of surnames
Ossetians get surnamesname of the ancestor. The names of the brothers of the ancestor also sometimes become the basis for new surnames.
It happens that sons refuse the father's surname and take their names with surnames. So it was in the past, it can be observed at the present time, when the sons are afraid of blood feud and want to protect the lives of relatives who bear the name of their father. It happens that the bloodlines take the name of the one who protected them from the blood feud.
In past centuries, the lower class was given the family name of their owner. More often, the family name was passed on by a man, but it happened that children received their mother's surname.
Aslanbek and Budzi, the heroes of the famous "Song of Aslanbek", are called Tsalons firte. This means that they are the sons of Tsalon, that is, their mother is a woman from the Tsaloevs. The name of the father's name has always been considered much more honorable than the name of the mother.
On the formation of family names
This is how the researchers explain the basic formula of Ossetian naming: first comes the family name, after it - the name of the father ("family"), followed by the name of the person himself. For example: Dzagurti Dzaboy firt Guybydi (Dzagurov Dzabola son of Gubadi). There is only one difference in the formula of the female name: instead of the word “firt” (son), the word “kizga” (daughter) is inserted in it.
Since ancient times, the spelling of Ossetian surnames, names and patronymics has been consistent: the surname should be put in the genitive plural, and then the patronymic (also in the genitive), followed by the name in the nominative case. Afterwhen writing the father's name, it is necessary to indicate the gender (the son or daughter has the bearer of the surname to his father).
Etymology
According to the observations of researchers, among the Ossetian surnames there are those that indicate a connection with the animal world. Some Ossetian surnames are associated with the geography of residence, with ethnonyms, with a speci alty or social status. Ossetians have surnames formed from nicknames. It happens that Ossetian surnames indicate some kind of character trait or external sign of a person. Many are derived from borrowed names.
About the "hoo" component
It is not always possible to explain the etymology of the name. It is known that at the beginning of the family names of Ossetians, the "huy" component is often found: Huy-gate, Huy-bate, Huy-biate, Huy-byzte, etc. The "huy" component has many phonetic variants: hua, heh, ha, hu, ho, which are found in various family names: Ho-zite, Ho-sante, Ho-sonte, etc.
What is the meaning of this component in family names? This question has been asked by many researchers. It was not easy for them to believe that all these surnames with the "huy" component are connected with the Ossetian name for a pig. They agreed that "huy" in Ossetian surnames comes from the Iranian "hu" and means: "good", "kind".
Conclusion
Historically, the ethnic environment of Ossetians is inextricably linked with Georgian, Balkar, Kabardian, Vainakh and other elements. Experts find in the names of Ossetians Georgian, Ingush, KarachayKabardian roots. For many centuries, generations of different Caucasian peoples maintained family and friendly ties, experienced the consequences of hostility that flared up from time to time.
All this has become material for ethnographers, folklorists, linguists. History reveals more and more secrets to them.
