of -ovich, et al.

[Jules Levin]

Dear colleagues,
A question has again come up on another list, and I need to inform 
myself re the following questions:

1.  When did the use of -(ov)ich/-ovna with patronymics become a) 
conventional, b) legally required for all ethnic Russians?

2.  When, if different, did it become required for non-Russians of the Empire?

3.  Was the use of -ov/-ova specifically as the patronymic EVER 
sanctioned/tolerated/found occasionally...in the "modern" Empire?

4.  If you saw such a form in the hand-written "otchestvo" column of 
a local late 9th Century provincial tally of some sort, of ethnic 
non-Russians (Poles, Lithuanians, Jews, all identified as such), 
would your first assumption be a) actual use of -ov as a genuine 
patronymic, b) scribal confusion/error, c) other???

Thank you for any enlightenment on this topic.
Jules Levin 

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