What surnames were given to Ukrainians engaged in trade in ancient times: find yours

Surnames are not just legalized nicknames, they are the key to our past, to the history of our ancestors. Some family names reveal the character of our distant relatives, their appearance, while others give us an idea of what our ancestors did.

Many Ukrainian surnames came from the names of professions, including those related to trade. More details about these professions were provided by the A.A. Potebnya Institute of Linguistics.

Trade has played an important role in the life of Ukrainians since ancient times. Its importance is hard to overestimate, as it made it possible not only to exchange goods, sell their surplus, etc. but also to develop the economy, enrich culture, and establish economic and diplomatic ties. Therefore, it is not surprising that a considerable number of Ukrainian family names are associated with trade.

Kupets, Kupetskyi, Kupchyk - these surnames came from the common name of a person who was engaged in trade.

Kramar, Kramarenko, Kramaruk, and Kramarchuk were formed from the name of a person who traded in his own shop.

Maziar, Maziarok and Maziaruk - a tar seller was called a maziar.

Shynkar, Shynkaruk, Shynkariuk - traders who sold vodka and other alcoholic beverages were called shynkar or kochmar (from the German word schenken).

Korchmaruk, Kochmaryk, Kachmar, Kachmaryk, Kachmarsky, and Kachmarchuk are patronymic names derived from the word kochmar (Polish: karczma, karczmarz).

Minyaylo, Minyaylyuk - derived from the name of a traveling merchant who traveled around villages exchanging various small goods for rural products.

Prasol, Prasula, and Parasulenko - surnames formed from the name "prasol", which meant a trader mainly in dried fish and salt.

Chumak - a person who exported bread from Ukraine and brought back salt and fish.