A surname is a family name that passes from father to children (with rare exceptions). Every person at least once in his life tried to find out about the origin of his surname and its meaning. Many now even make up a family tree, according to which you can track how the surname passed from generation to generation. In this article we will talk about where the surname Goncharov came from.
Who is a potter?
The origin of the surname Goncharov comes from occupation, unlike other "speaking" Russian surnames. Since ancient times, people have learned to make household items from various materials. At first they made it from stone, then they adapted to carve dishes and household utensils from wood with stone scrapers.
As humanity "growing up" and increasing the intellectual abilities of the ancients, people learned to take natural clay, mix it with water and mold any products from the resulting mass. Butthey weren't strong enough. Probably, one day the clay object fell into the fire and got stronger there. This is how people realized that firing made clay pots stronger.
In the Old Slavonic language "grno" meant a forge, an oven for roasting. Here are the origins of the origin of the name Goncharov. By the way, the Indian language also has an analogue of this term - ghrnas, which means "heat" or "heat".
The birth of a craft
Man needed something to store water, grains, flour. It was necessary to make dishes for food. So there was an ancient profession - a potter. This craft is the main version of the origin of the surname Goncharov.
People managed to improve the technology for the production of clay products and created a potter's wheel. It is known that the potter's wheel appeared in the III millennium BC! At first it was manual: the master rotated the round table with one hand, and formed the product with the other.
Later, both hands were freed: they came up with a mechanism that could be untwisted with their feet. It was a real leap forward! The quality immediately improved, the quantity of manufactured dishes increased. Pottery became very profitable, the basics of the craft were passed down from generation to generation.
Even now, in the age of high technology, everyone knows who a potter is. And now pottery is in demand. But clay products are now made not by hand, but in factories. But the painting is most often done by hand. potter's wheel beforestill exists, but as a colorful item of national craft in some regions of Russia. Handmade has always been and remains in value. A worthy profession became the basis for the origin of the Goncharov family.
Surname Prevalence
Since people needed crockery in all ages, the potter's profession became widespread. Masters taught this craft to boys, who, having matured, opened their own pottery shops. In Russia, and throughout the world, there were unsurpassed masters of pottery.
Pottery has really become an art. In addition to dishes, potters created souvenirs: figurines, flower vases, toys and even clay brooches! And the profession has become a surname! The potter is the father, and his children are the potter's son, the potter's daughter. This is the origin of the name Goncharov. The suffix "ov" played its role, which, according to the rules of the Russian language, means belonging to something or someone.
The descendants of the first potter might no longer be engaged in family business, but they continued to be called that by the people - the Goncharovs. In ancient archives, this surname has been mentioned since the 15th century.
Fame name
This surname is very popular in Russia. And now everyone who is reading this article now has at least one Goncharov among relatives or acquaintances. He probably doesn't do pottery.
There are many famous people with the surname Goncharov or Goncharova.
For example, the great Russian writer, literary classic Ivan AleksandrovichGoncharov (1812-1891), who created the famous novel Oblomov.
Natalie Goncharova (1812-1863) - any student who hasn't skipped literature classes knows her! The name of the wife of the great Russian poet Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin is immortalized in his work. Natalie Goncharova was a member of the family that owned a linen factory.
Goncharovs - this surname was worn by famous noble families in the Russian state. There were twelve in total.
About connection with fire
The ancient Slavs were superstitious, so for them the potter's profession was shrouded in mysticism and fear. It was believed that the master who works with fire when firing clay has a connection with the underworld.
Archaeologists during excavations found pots with a cross at the bottom. This is explained as follows: the potter after work put a piece of clay in the center of the circle and depicted a cross on it. He did this so that at night the dark forces would stay away and not turn the potter's wheel.
