of -ovich, et al.

[William Ryan]

For a very useful exposition of the history of this see B. O. Unbegaun, 
Russian Surnames, Oxford, 1972, pt 1, ch. I, ii Patronymics, iii 
Patronymic surnames.
Will Ryan

Jules Levin wrote:
> 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
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
>  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
>                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
>

-- 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Emeritus Professor W. F. Ryan FBA, FSA
Warburg Institute
(School of Advanced Study, University of London)
Woburn Square
LONDON WC1H 0AB

All postal, fax and telephone messages to:
120 Ridge Langley, South Croydon, Surrey, CR2 0AS
telephone and fax: 020 8405 6610
from outside UK +44 20 8405 6610
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------