Surname Grigorev - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'G'
Grigorev: What does the surname Grigorev mean?
The last name Grigorev is a patronymic surname derived from the Slavic masculine given name Grigorii. It is believed to have originated in Russia during medieval times, and the earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 14th century when Grigori of Gorodets signed a peace treaty with Lithuanian Grand Duke Vytautas. The name ultimately derives from the Latin word ‘Gregorius,’ which in turn stems from the Greek word ‘Gregorios,’ meaning ‘watchful, vigilant.’
The suffix ‘–ev’ was added to the last name to indicate a connection to a particular family or state, and in the case of Grigorev, the suffix links the surname to Russia, or at least a Russian origin. In Russian language culture, the suffix ‘–ev’ might also be added to indicate descent from a particular ancestor, so in some cases, such as in the case of the family surname Grigorev, it could signify descent from a person named Grigorii. Today, the name Grigorev is most commonly found in Russia and other Slavic countries, as well as other nations with a Russian diaspora, such as the United States, Canada, and Israel.
Order DNA origin analysisGrigorev: Where does the name Grigorev come from?
The last name Grigorev is common in Eastern Europe today, particularly in Russia. It is the 812th most common surname in the region, although it is fairly obscure outside of the countries included in this region.
Grigorev is thought to have originated as a patronymic from the ancient Russian personal name Grigori, which means "watchful". It is commonly found in the countries that made up the former Soviet Union, as well as Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
In Russia, Grigorev is still widely spread, but it is more popular in some regions than others. For example, it is the 99th most common surname in the city of Tolyatti, Samara Oblast, while it is the 772nd most common surname in the city of Moscow.
Given its Eastern European roots, the Grigorev surname is also found in a number of other countries across Europe. It is the 265th most common surname in Romania, the 856th most common surname in Hungary, the 1060th most common surname in Italy, and the 1183rd most common surname in Austria.
Additionally, Grigorev can be found in countries around the world that have a strong Eastern European diaspora. This includes the United States, where it is the 5664th most common surname, as well as Canada, where it is the 6805th most common surname.
Variations of the surname Grigorev
Grigorev is a surname of Russian origin that's derived from the name Grigory, meaning "watchful". This surname is sometimes spelled as Grigoriev, Grigoreff, Grigorieff, Grigoriew, or Grigoriov.
Common variants of the Grigorev surname include Grigorieva, Grigorova, Grigoriova, and Grigoriewa. The Polish form of this surname is Grzegorzewski and the Ukrainian form is Grigorovych.
Derivatives of the Grigorev surname also exist. One such example is Grigorenko (a Ukrainian surname meaning the son of Grigor). There's also the Slavic surname Grigor’ianov, meaning Grigor's son.
The Grigorev surname is also spelled and pronounced differently in various regions of the former Soviet Union. In Russia, Estonia, and Latvia, the surname is spelled with a "y" (Grigoryev), while in other parts of the former Soviet Union it is spelled with an "iy" (Grigoriyev).
No matter how the surname is spelled, it holds the same meaning - that of someone who is watchful and vigilant.
Famous people with the name Grigorev
- Oleg Grigorev: Russian actor and musician.
- Viktor Grigorev: Russian historian, professor of the Moscow State University.
- Alexey Grigorev: Russian actor, director and scriptwriter.
- Alexander Grigorev: Russian artist and sculptor.
- Dmitry Grigorev: Former Prime Minister of Moldova.
- Evgeny Grigorev: Russian figure skater and Olympic medalist.
- Ivan Grigorev: Russian movie and theater actor, scriptwriter, and director.
- Nikolay Grigorev: Soviet and Russian aircraft designer, led the Yakovlev Design Bureau.
- Stanislav Grigorev: Russian, Ukrainian, and Moldovan football coach.
- Vasily Grigorev: Soviet military leader and one of the first Heroes of the Soviet Union.
- Vladimir Grigorev: Former Mayor of Voronezh.
- Yuri Grigorev: Former member of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova.
- Konstantin Grigorev: Russian naval commander and sea captain.
- Andrey Grigorev: Russian film director and screenwriter.
- Anton Grigorev: Russian Orthodox priest and musician.